Johnson Not Denying Erin Andrews' Report Of Johnson's Knee Being Drained
By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak
ALLEN PARK (CBS DETROIT) - After Calvin Johnson went up for a ball in the end zone and landed a bit awkwardly as a defender intercepted the pass, a flock of trainers crowded around Johnson on the sideline.
It was midway through the third quarter of the Thanksgiving Day game at Ford Field, and as the trainers inspected the Lions superstar, Fox's Erin Andrews offered details on Johnson's condition.
"General manager Martin Mayhew told me obviously this is the knee that's been bothering him all year long," Andrews said. "Every other week they've been draining fluid from this knee, and of course he hasn't practiced except for on Thursdays and Fridays, but [Mayhew] just said, 'He's a guy that can do that.'"
Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz and Johnson will not confirm the report, but they are not denying it either.
"No, I cannot confirm," Johnson said with a laugh.
Pressed jokingly as to whether he could deny the report, Johnson grinned.
"Smart guys," he said, smiling out at the group. "Y'all a trip."
Schwartz had been similarly evasive Wednesday, but he allowed that such a player undergoing that type of treatment would not be unheard of.
"I don't know that that's unusual for players in the NFL," Schwartz said. "This goes back as long as I've been here or maybe as long as I've been in the NFL that there are a lot of players that have stuff like that which requires to get them to game day, but I don't comment on any individual player's injury situation."
Johnson brushed off questions about whether the knee issue will affect the length of his career.
"I'm not worried about that," Johnson said. "When the time comes, I'll know, but it's not here right now."
