Sunday, January 1, 2012

Bills' Johnson benched after excessive celebration

BY NICK ST. DENIS

Stevie Johnson just doesn't get it.

Johnson, who has cost his team and his wallet on multiple occasions over the past two years, did it again Sunday. After scoring a touchdown in the Bills' blowout loss to the Patriots, the Bills wideout lifted his jersey in revealing a shirt underneath that read "Happy New Year!"

Johnson was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct, and Bills coach Chan Gailey benched his No. 1 receiver for the rest of the game.

Johnson was fined $15,000 total last season for two celebrations (revealing a shirt reading "Why so serious?" in one game and mocking the Patriots' post-score rifle firing in another), and he drew an excessive celebration penalty earlier this season for pretending to shoot himself in the leg, mocking Jets receiver Plaxico Burress.

Gailey had warned his team that he would internally penalize players for committing personal foul penalties via post-play celebrations. Coach delivered on his promise.

"I got tired of it the first time it happened," Gailey said. "But you hope people learn from situations."

Johnson just finished the final year of his contract and is hoping to re-sign with Buffalo. He's certainly not helping his case.

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