Texans Hall of Fame WR Andre Johnson shares his side of Cortland Finnegan fight

Among the countless highlights during Andre Johnson’s 12 years with the Houston Texans, one moment remains an all-time low.

Well, maybe not among fans, but definitely among the Hall of Fame receiver’s accolades.

Johnson made headlines in 2010 after fighting Tennessee Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan during the fourth quarter of an AFC South quarrel. For years, many thought Johnson was tired of Finnegan’s antics in coverage and eventually let his emotions boil over.

For Johnson, it’s a bit of a different story. That moment in rival history was boiling over for years leading up to that fateful Sunday afternoon in late November.

“That had been going on for about like three or four years,” Johnson said Wednesday during an interview with KPRC 2’s Chancellor Johnson. “[Finnegan] had been asking for it, though. Even his teammates knew.”

According to Johnson, the fight had been boiling over due to previous comments. With the Texans and Titans meeting up twice a season, there were multiple moments where the two exchanged words.

On Nov 28, 2010, following a third-and-8 play, Johnson was finished with the charades.

“His teammates even admitted that he karate-chopped me under the pile,” Johnson said of the incident. “[He] tried to hit me in my throat one time, so it was little stuff he did. It wasn’t just me. It was the other guys that he played against that he did stuff to, too. I just wasn’t a person who tolerated it.”

After the two were ejected, Finnegan never messed with Johnson again. After that moment, according to Johnson, things soured in the locker room for the Pro Bowl corner.

While both players were fined $25,000 for the fight, Johnson said the bill was covered. He never mentioned who paid it, but rumor has it that several receivers pooled together the funds as a thank-you for putting Finnegan in his place.

Johnson, in the eyes of most Texans’ fans, became a hero in Houston for taking down a player from the team that left the city for a new home under Bud Adams in the 1990s. On top of that, Johnson went on to break every receiving record in franchise history while earning seven Pro Bowl selections and two first-team All-Pro honors.

Johnson, who finished with the NFL record for most seasons with 100 or more receptions and 1,400-yard campaigns, will be enshrined on Saturday as a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.