My Take on Tank
April 8th, 2009 | Bengals
Tank Johnson
I have received a lot of emails and comments to this site about my feelings on the Bengals signing DT Tank Johnson and what that means for me. I think that Tank is a good player. I have never met him, but I watch pretty much every defensive lineman in the NFL, and I always thought he was good. On my off days during the season, I used to watch what other teams were doing, so I know which guys are good and which are just hyped up. Tank was a good player in Chicago before he got into trouble. The game that sticks out to me was when the Bears played against the Seattle Seahawks in the playoffs after the 2006 season. Tank was pretty dominant. While Tank was with the Cowboys, he didn’t have the same impact that he had in Chicago. It was a different system, but I think more of it had to do with the fact that he was in a different role. The Cowboys had a bunch of good DL, so Tank wasn’t the main guy and he didn’t get as many opportunities as he had in Chicago. He never really fit in. I think coming to the Bengals, Tank will get a chance to be an impact player. If he can produce early on, he will have a big role on the team, but he has to return to his Chicago form. And the Bengals are counting on him to do that. People are also asking me about his past troubles. My take is, the Bengals are fine with it, doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. From what I have read on this site, some fans are OK with it, some fans are not. What this signing means for me? Nothing really. There have been talks between the Bengals and myself and my agent. Nothing that ever got serious enough to make me think that I would be back. So it doesn’t surprise me that they went in this direction. I wish the Bengals well, I’ll be rooting for them, and I may be covering them as well…..maybe(hint). I have a lot of friends at PBS, players and coaches, so I definitely want them to do well. It’s a big year in the Jungle for a lot of people, they have to win, and I think they will.
30 Responses to My Take on Tank
gibbs12
April 8th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
appreciate your insight and honest response john. best of luck with everything, its been fun to see an athlete that truly gets the social media space.
Sam S
April 8th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
Hey john, I appreciate everything that you’ve done for the Bengals and the community. Best of Luck to you, but whatever you do, please don’t sign with a team in the AFC North. I’d hate to start talking poorly about you.
Nathan
April 8th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
JT, got to wish you the best. You came to the Bengals as a free agent when that wasn’t exactly the popular thing to do and have been pretty awesome for us in all aspects since. Good luck in whatever comes next
Kevin
April 8th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
Dude, I hope the Bengals come through and keep you in this rotation. But if not, you seem like (if I can read between the lines you write) you may not be playing next year. Would it be fair to say it’s the Bengals or the media for you at this point? Or can you even make a comment on it?
BearcatsFan
April 8th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
So does this mean they don’t think Shirley is going to step it up?
I guess no harm in throwing Tank in the rotation, you can’t
beat his potential for the low price they paid for him.
Jerry
April 8th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
Being a life-long Bengals fan, it’s disappointing to see my team get another player with “character issues” considering the past history. I just hope Tank has learned from his past mistakes and will be an impact player.
I hate to see you not return to the team. You’ve always been a solid player and an outstanding person off the field. I was one of the first ones on your message board when you started your Bengals’ website. You’ll make a great broadcaster. Good luck, “Thunder!”
The Bengal Thing
April 8th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
Word out of the Nati is Leon Hall was charged with DUI….
I was hopeful that with Tank… everyone would stay out of trouble so we could put this crap behind us.
COME ON!!!!!!!!!!
Andy
April 8th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
Hey JT,
What team do you have yourself on when you play Madden? And at what position? Just curious.
Austin Neal
April 8th, 2009 at 5:21 pm
hey man, lets keep in touch. I’m excited to follow you wherever you go, best wishes. Selfishly im hoping you stay a Bengal though. haha
al smith
April 8th, 2009 at 5:34 pm
Best of Luck JT! But Leon Hall has been charged with DUI…will this crap ever end why cant these guys just grow up! They are rich enough to hire a driver why not do? The Bengals have been beaten by the media everywhere maybe a little to much but cmon GROW UP!! if u wana win championships u gotta grow up!
al smith
April 8th, 2009 at 5:37 pm
also just read the Bengals want a 1st and 3rd rounder for Chad Ochocinco and John Clayton says there is a 20% chance of him getting traded
Rocco
April 8th, 2009 at 6:06 pm
They MIGHT get it. There’s always a Daniel Snyder, or Al Davis wondering around out there somewhere looking to wheel and deal. If they’re asking for a kings ransom, then that’s just a start. Realistically this is what “they’re” asking for. Doesn’t mean they’ll get it. It’s negotiating time!
John
April 8th, 2009 at 7:03 pm
How many people get DUI’s after every game and don’t get put on the front page. Also how many of us have drank too much at Bengal games and driven home. How can we throw stones. Yes it’s easy to poke fun but he’s justva man like us
Andy
April 8th, 2009 at 8:14 pm
I think JT still has a chance to be back after the draft! I know you said you played for Schwartz in Tennesse, any chance you go play in Detroit next year? They need defense badly!!!
JT
April 8th, 2009 at 8:37 pm
I don’t see the first one happening. But I did hear from two teams today that I had ties to the coaches….
Matt
April 8th, 2009 at 9:50 pm
Best of luck to you JT. You are a class act and your leadership in the lockerroom & dedication to the community will be sorely missed.
Ibu Macrani
April 8th, 2009 at 10:00 pm
What did Tank do anyway? From what I remember he had a bunch of unregistered guns.
Not a big deal if you ask me.
sanchez
April 9th, 2009 at 1:43 am
you’re a top class individual
Gnunley
April 9th, 2009 at 6:53 am
JT,
Whatever happen keep blogging. I love your honest and to the point insights!! Thanks for all you’ve done in Cincy.
JT
April 9th, 2009 at 7:33 am
Thanks. I will keep up the site. Working on some good things for the draft
Anthony
April 9th, 2009 at 7:57 am
John,
I met you at the St. X poker night. Bengals need to bring you back and let you play end with Geathers on 1st and 2nd downs. Would that work for you? Odoms can spell you on passing downs?
JCincy
April 9th, 2009 at 10:35 am
Here’s the issues with signing Tank:
1) It’s yet another short term deal. Is there a core group on this defense? Or will the Bengals continue to be patchwork defense. If Tank has a breakout year, do you think he’ll be back in 2010?
2) What about character? Okay so Tank may have avoided trouble for a season. He may never get in trouble again. But should you continue to build your team around players with a questionable history? You are begging for problems. Furthermore, how does this enable you to attract players of high character, who will want to play for you for 4 to 6 years?
3) Where’s the plan? Instead of building a TEAM through the draft and with quality free agents, Mr. Brown always seems to find a way to just fill positions. There’s no 5 year plan here. There’s no plan here at all, except filling the roster enough to say, I have an NFL team, therefore the Brown family gets a cut of NFL revenue.
John
April 9th, 2009 at 11:43 am
Jcincy i think you are a little misguided. The 1 year deal is good for both Tank and the Bengals. Tank hasn’t performed as well as he can the last two years and wants to prove himself. By giving him a one year deal the Bengals get a highly motivated player at a position of need and don’t have to invest a lot of money if he doesn’t pan out. There is a core group on defense but holes still need to be plugged.
2. Everyone has question marks in their history and every team signs many players with question marks equal or bigger than the Bengals. Even Matt Lienhart had questionable character issues. Cutler also showed that recently. Would you want your employer going over every stupid thing you did as a college student and using that to determine if he should keep you employed.
3. What makes you so sure there isn’t a plan. Just because you don’t think a “tank Johnson” is a great quality free agent doesn’t mean he is not. If all of us talking heads here could determine quality draft picks and free agents we would be working in the NFL not complaining about it.
Lastly if Mike Brown really only cared about making the most money why sign Tank to a veteren contract and not just fill his spot with a 6th rounder at half the cost??
John
April 9th, 2009 at 11:55 am
One thing I’ve never understood is the arguement that teams don’t sign “Quality Free Agents” most of the time I ask people who they picture they name the Albert Haynesworths and the other ESPN “Top 10 Free Agents of 2009″ just because a team signs a player that isn’t in the Top 10 Free Agents doesn’t mean they are not a quality free agent signing. Sorry JT, but i’m going to use you as an example. I remember when you signed here people complaining that we signed you instead of Daryl Gardener or Hugh Douglas the two guys ESPN had in their top 10. I think everyone here will agree that you were a quality free agent even though ESPN didn’t rank you in the top 10.
JCincy
April 9th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
“3. What makes you so sure there isn’t a plan.” — John
20 decades of losing demonstrates to me there is no plan for consistently winning.
Ron
April 9th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
I’m back guys I it looks like this will be Marvin’s last year in Cincinnati. The Bengals are back to signing turds like Tank. I believe the NFL Commissioner has it in for the Brown family and will stick it to them for the first six or eight games with a brutal schedule. Can you say 0-7?
Ron
April 9th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
The NFL schedule comes out on the 14th of April. I say the Commish gives the Bengals this brutal NFL schedule to begin the season. Correction, the Bengals will start the first half of the season 1-7. JT, did you hear about Mike Brown petitioning the NFL for a favorable schedule to begin the season. Is this true? What a nutcase! I predict Marvin is fired or resigns during the bye week. Don’t think it won’t happen because of Carson Palmer. The team went 0-4 or 0-5 to begin the season with him at QB. Also, Jeremy Green of ESPN predicted that Carson would demand a trade after the 2009 season is a disaster. I think Chad is not traded during the offseason and doesn’t play the season after re-injuring his shoulder that he never had operated on during the offseason like the Bengals asked him to do. I think he will hurt himself on purpose and just sit out the season on IR and collect his 2.8 million dollar salary. Marvin has no control in how the team is managed. After he started losing the more and more his power diminished. He is a puppet for Mike Brown now. Also, I believe the Bengals will pick Andre Smith in the first, WR Percy Harvin in the second round and they will both be out of league in 3 years. These guys have major character flaws, just how Mike Brown likes them.
@San Diego – Loss
@Minnesota – Loss
Chicago – Loss
Baltimore – Loss
@ Pittsburgh- Loss
Denver – Win
@Cleveland – Loss
Houston – Loss
JT
April 9th, 2009 at 7:28 pm
Come on. Percy Harvin in the second round? Doesn’t sound like you are a Bengals fan. Why be a fan if you hate them so much? It’s easier to just root for someone else. You have to have some optimism
WWJTD
April 10th, 2009 at 11:26 am
@ Ron
Nice analysis for a glass half empty kind of guy. I would have to agree with JT here, if you are not a fan then just be quiet or go root for a team you deem worthy. Why be a Bengals fan if you expect them to lose? Go cheer for the Steelers or the Patriots with all the other fans who just like sports when their team is on the up. I hope Worthlisberger hits you on his bike.
Andy11
April 10th, 2009 at 7:20 pm
There is another Andy on here….. What’s up with that? From now on, I am Andy11. The Andy with the Detroit question is an imposter. Anyway. JT, you didn’t answer my question about Madden. Did you miss it or just didn’t like it? Don’t tell me you are too cool for video games.