Kerryon Johnson accused former Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia of being a ‘military general’ and blamed him for the injuries that ravaged his NFL career.
Johnson was selected by the Lions in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft, but he competed in just four seasons as his career came to a premature end. The 25-year-old’s time in the NFL was riddled with injuries and he has seemingly laid that at the feet of Patricia.
He appeared in 34 games for Detroit, rushing for 1,225 yards and scoring eight touchdowns. Johnson rushed for 641 yards and three touchdowns in his first season, but his career was quickly derailed by a left knee sprain in his rookie campaign.
When asked on social media why he never returned to the field after the 2021 season, Johnson was blunt. He simply replied: “Because playing for a military general left me down 2 knees and a neck.”
It appears Johnson was talking about Patricia, who was the head coach of the Lions from 2018 to 2020. He finished his Detroit tenure with a 13-29-1 record in two and a half seasons, finishing bottom of the NFC North in both full campaigns while the franchise was last at the time of his firing.
Patricia - a three-time Super Bowl champion as a member of the New England Patriots staff - returned to the Patriots as a senior football advisor. However, Johnson is simply the latest former player to take aim at the 48-year-old for his practices in Detroit.
Philadelphia Eagles star defensive back Darius Slay admitted he lost respect for Patricia after the coach told him he was not ‘an elite corner’ despite reaching three successive Pro Bowls. In a similar vein, Johnson appears to be suggesting Patricia ran the back into the ground, despite his withering body.
Johnson tallied 403 rushing yards and three touchdowns when his 2019 season ended with knee surgery, forcing him to play in just eight games. In 2021, the former Auburn star played in just one game as a member of the San Francisco 49ers’ special teams unit.
He played in 16 games just once across his four-year career. Ultimately, Johnson likely knew what his knees and neck could handle - and Patricia looks to be the target of his frustrations.
