Fansided

Andre Johnson wanted to play in Miami, but Dolphins never reached out

By Jonathan Bass

Oct 5, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson (80) prior to the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 5, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson (80) prior to the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports /
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Andre Johnson reportedly wanted to play for the Dolphins, but never heard from the team.

The Miami Dolphins made some big splashes while fortifying their roster this offseason. They attacked free agency by inking Ndamukong Suh to a $114 million contract, and later picked up veteran wide receiver Greg Jennings. They locked down quarterback Ryan Tannehill for 6 years, $96 million. And the team pulled off a shrewd trade to land wideout Kenny Stills from New Orleans. Yet the Dolphins apparently had one big fish slip through their fingers by failing to reach out to homegrown free agent Andre Johnson.

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In his Wednesday column for the Miami Herald, Barry Jackson says that Johnson informed him recently that he wanted to return to South Florida and play for his hometown team. However, he never heard from the Dolphins.

"Playing for the Dolphins “was something I thought about,” Johnson told me at the recent UM Hall of Fame fishing tournament in Islamorada. “I always had a dream of playing at home. I was a huge Dolphins fan. But they never called.”"

A product from Miami Senior High School, Johnson starred on the star-studded Miami Hurricanes teams of 2000-02. In only three seasons with the program he averaged nearly 20 yards per reception and pulled down 20 touchdowns.

The wideout was drafted out of college to Houston, and would be the team’s premier receiver for 12 seasons – twice leading the NFL in receptions and yards. This offseason he signed a 3-year, $21 million contract with the Indianapolis Colts.

Johnson says that he recognizes the financials and, “understand(s) the business side,” of things, though depending on how he performs this year that’s unlikely to quell a Miami fan base hungry for some kind of breakthrough. The team inked Jennings for 2 years, $8 million – granted, a marked discount compared to Johnson – and the two players’ performance will be compared throughout the entire season. If Johnson can rejuvenate his career alongside Andrew Luck, the Dolphins will be forced to answer questions of why they would ante up for some players, but not a guy who wanted to come home and help the team’s QB investment.

South Florida is a proud community when it comes to all the talent it produces. Watching a homegrown product succeed on the backend of his likely Hall of Fame career, elsewhere in the conference no less, will be a tough ointment to swallow.

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