Jaleel Johnson Stunned Titans Re-Signed Him After Critical, Now-Deleted Posts
Rarely does an instance of an athlete venting on social media have a happy ending.
Titans defensive tackle Jaleel Johnson had a November to remember.
On Nov. 12 and 19, Johnson played for Tennessee in road losses to the Buccaneers and Jaguars. On Nov. 21, the Titans cut him. And on Wednesday, Tennessee signed him to its active roster once more.
All of this took place in spite of the fact that Johnson criticized the Titans on social media almost immediately after his Nov. 21 release.
“They so worried about (trying) to fix the defense when we’re not the problem,” Johnson wrote in a since-deleted tirade, later appearing to express envy toward Eagles safety Kevin Byard for being traded from Tennessee to a winning team.
If you're surprised the Titans welcomed Johnson back into the fold after his comments, you're not alone—Johnson told reporters Friday he was, too.
Jaleel Johnson said he was surprised when asst GM Anthony Robinson called him about re-signing with the #Titans. He also commended Mike Vrabel for putting the Twitter comments aside and welcoming him back. pic.twitter.com/PYZ0l9TUu3
— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) December 1, 2023
"It says a lot about coach (Mike Vrabel), that he cares about his guys," Johnson said of Vrabel's willingness to move past the comments. "We built a bond. I think he knows where I come from and I know where he stands and what he expects out of his players and that wasn't it."
Johnson has spent time with the Vikings, Texans, Falcons and Tennessee over the course of a seven-year career.
"Moving forward now, I'm off Twitter," Johnson said, smiling. "I think I deleted the app, so I'm thankful to be back and to help these guys win."