I AM ATHLETE SITS DOWN WITH FORMER STAR WIDE RECEIVER ANDRE JOHNSON TO DISCUSS HOUSTON TEXANS & AN EXPLOSIVE CONVERSATION ABOUT NFL PLAYER EMPOWERMENT – TODAY @ 12 P.M. ET

In the latest episode of the I AM ATHLETE
(IAA) podcast, former star NFL wide receiver Andre Johnson joined the crew
for a rare interview and dove into the recent controversies around his
former team, the Houston Texans, in a conversation that led to a heated
debate amongst the group about player empowerment in the NFL. The new
episode debuts tomorrow, Monday, April 5 at 12 p.m. ET (watch HERE
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).

IAA podcast founder and host Brandon Marshall, along with co-hosts and
former NFL stars Chad Ochocinco, Channing Crowder and “Unc” Fred Taylor,
asked Johnson about a tweet
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sent
earlier this year in which he blasted the Texans organization for “wasting”
the careers of players, specifically calling out their President of
Football Operations, Jack Easterby. It was national NFL news for the
normally reserved Johnson to speak so bluntly on his former team while they
were dealing with a trade demand from their star quarterback Deshaun Watson.

“Obviously there are serious allegations out there about Deshaun,” said
Marshall, referring to the current lawsuits being filed by service workers
in the health and wellness industry accusing Watson of sexual misconduct.
“But we do need to let that process play out. In regard to his trade
demand, when you (Johnson) said something about it, everyone picked it up,
because you never talk.”

“There were things that I experienced in 12 years there that I would have
spoken out about, but now, with avenues like this podcast, we have a
platform to be more outspoken,” said Johnson. “I just didn’t want to see
Deshaun go through what I went through with the organization. He’s a
tremendous talent and I didn’t want his career to be wasted. Since Jack
Easterby walked into that building, nothing good has happened in that
building. The tweet was a buildup of frustration of what I had seen working
as an advisor to the team. I left that job because I knew the organization
wasn’t right.”

When pressed about why he felt the need to specifically call out Easterby,
who broke into the NFL as a team chaplain and character coach, Johnson did
not hold back.

“You have a guy who comes in, who’s a team chaplain or a character coach,”
said Johnson. “And I give him credit, he’s good at that. But he doesn’t
know anything about football. Why would I want to be a part of something
like that? When we laced our cleats up, we were giving everything we had.
Just like those guys in that locker room now. I feel like they’re getting
cheated. They don’t have a guy in the right position to make decisions. I
didn’t think the tweet was going to do what it did. I just felt like I
needed to do what I did.”

“Hands down you’re the best offensive player the Texans have ever seen, and
it’s between you and J.J. Watt for best Texans player ever,” responded
Taylor. “When you speak, it’s going to hold a lot of weight. Nothing you
said was wrong. It was valid and you opened a lot of eyes.”

“I think the bigger conversation is about what’s next for this
organization,” said Marshall. “How do they get back on track? If I’m a
player, there are teams I would not even think about because of things like
this.”

Crowder jumped in to put some of the emphasis on controversial statements
made by Texans owner Cal McNair, and how it’s added to the perception of
the organization.

“McNair is the one who said ‘don’t let the inmates run the asylum’,” said
Crowder. “There’s a bad racial tone to what’s going on there. Players now
are going to look at that and say they’ll look at the other 31 teams
instead.”

This discussion around Johnson speaking out about the Texans leads to a
heated debate amongst the former NFL stars about players in the league and
their increasing willingness to speak out against management, but also on
the most important social issues of the time.

“This conversation is important because even if we had a platform like this
when we were in the league, we wouldn’t have used it,” said Marshall. “Back
then the mentality was ‘don’t rock the boat and don’t be a distraction’.
Really the last two or three years, football players are starting to say,
‘let me show who I really am’. Times are changing.”

Ochocinco, however, disagrees with how much progress can be made with
owners, “Regardless of how boisterous we are, these organizations are run
by billionaires who have one bottom line at the end of the day. They want
to make money. Period.”

When Crowder makes the comparison between NFL players speaking out like the
NBA players are known for doing, Johnson points out the major difference in
power between athletes in the different leagues.

“With the NBA, players run the league. In the NFL, owners run everything,”
said Johnson. “We have guaranteed money, but the NBA has guaranteed
contracts.”

Ochocinco jumps in to say that it’s the “franchise players” in the NFL who
have been most vocal in speaking out against management and on social
issues, “you have to have the power to pull this off.”

“Do you think that these players with power are going to shift the whole
dynamic toward allowing players to sit at the table and make their own
legacy?” responded Marshall, sending Ochocinco into an animated response.

“You can’t bully these owners,” exclaimed Ochocinco. “You know that’s not
going to happen. Who’s got the balls to stand up to these m*****f******? We
have a problem getting minority coaches in power positions in front
offices. We can’t even get black coaches jobs, much less give the players
the power. The NBA players run the league because the contracts are
guaranteed. The only power you have in the NFL is if you’re the franchise
player. If you’re not that, then you have no power.”

Marshall pushes back on this idea, invoking the 2011 NFL collective
bargaining negotiations as an example of franchise players not using their
power, and highlighting how things have begun to change.

“In 2011, where was Tom Brady? Where was Peyton Manning?” said Marshall.
“Drew Brees was the only power player there, but he was getting paid a
million dollars to negotiate. Now you have the J.J. Watt’s and Jalen
Ramsey’s of the world finally saying something. It has to take those guys
first, then it’s a trickle-down effect.”

“There are 53 people on an NFL roster with different contracts,” responded
Ochocinco. “There are tiers. Certain people don’t have time or can’t afford
to sit out when the time comes for the checks to roll in. Not everyone can
pull off what the guys at the top can. In the NBA, if guys want to sit out,
it works, because those checks still have to come in.”

As the emotional conversation reached a crescendo, both Marshall and
Ochocinco got in their final thoughts on the subject.

“The NFL institutionalized us and we were scared to speak our minds,” said
Marshall. “In 2020, we made it comfortable. Colin Kaepernick was the one
who took that knee and created this conversation.”

“Those players on the bottom of the roster, who couldn’t or didn’t speak
out, they understood the consequences of not being able to provide for
themselves or their loved ones,” said Ochocinco.

The passion on display throughout this episode is indicative of Marshall’s
original reason for starting IAA, as it shows these athletes going deep and
talking about uncomfortable issues that are important and that motivate
them. Make sure to keep checking in week after week for more lively and
unique conversations led by Marshall and the whole IAA crew.

About I AM ATHLETE Podcast

I AM ATHLETE podcast is a thought provoking and in-depth podcast that has
exploded in popularity with over 450,000 YouTube subscribers and more than
225,000 Instagram followers and was ranked one of the top new sports
podcasts in 2020. The podcast offers multiple perspectives on subjects
ranging from sports to controversial topics to fashion to lifestyle,
covering all cultural conversations and building a platform to educate and
encourage viewers to engage. Creating opportunities for conversation that
change the narrative and make an impact, six-time Pro Bowler Brandon
Marshall serves as a contributor and moderator, and the panel embarks on
provocative conversations that redefine what it means to be an athlete.
Co-hosts Fred Taylor (Former Jaguars and Patriots running back), fellow
receiver and six-time Pro Bowler, Chad ‘Ochocinco’ Johnson, and Former
Dolphins linebacker, Channing Crowder, join Marshall to discuss all topics
from the perspective of an African American athlete, while dining on some
amazing dishes served up by Chef Nancie. These gridiron giants pull no
punches and have no filter while expressing themselves on the importance of
the issues and topics they cover. Each week the podcast is growing in
popularity and subscribers due to the panelists frankness in sharing their
thoughts and views on relevant topics covered each week.

I AM ATHLETE was created by House 3 Studios, owned and operated by
Marshall, and in partnership with Emmy Award Winning production company
Lobas Productions and Jersey Filmmaker to story and edit the weekly series.
Fans can subscribe to the I AM ATHLETE podcast: YouTube
bit.ly/2FVTeu8
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and
watch a new episode premiere every Monday at 12 Noon ET.