Live and learn.
That is what everybody hopes happens for Detroit Lions rookie defensive lineman, P.J. Johnson.
On Tuesday, Lions head coach Matt Patricia booted Johnson from practice after the rookie got into a skirmish with New England Patriots offensive lineman, James Ferentz.
Though it seems like Johnson was on the receiving end of a cheap shot by Ferentz, he realizes he let his emotions get the best of him.
From MLive:
“You know, I got to do a better job of controlling my emotions,” Johnson said. “I can’t do anything that costs the team yards or (leads to) me getting kicked out of practice. I left the D-line room vulnerable on the field, so that’s just something I got to get mentally stronger with, is controlling my emotions.”
“I should have chilled out and calmed down,” Johnson said. “It wasn’t that serious.”
Following practice, Patricia let Johnson have it.
“Just told me why I can’t do that,” Johnson said. “(He said), ‘don’t do that, you cost the team.’ Yelled at me about the team principles, and that wasn’t a team-first play.
“I was just too into the moment,” Johnson continued, “and you can’t just be too into the moment. You have to breathe and think everything through, and that’s just something I did wrong in the moment.”
Let’s hope that Johnson uses this as a learning moment and that this is not something that comes up again.
