The moment that essentially ended Chad Johnson’s NFL career still lingers in court. On Monday, he tried to finally put it behind him.
According to Linda Trischitta of the South Florida Sun Sentinel, Johnson appeared in court Monday in an effort to resolve charges filed after he allegedly struck his ex-wife last August.
Johnson pleaded no contest, and he now is hoping to show that he fulfilled probation and counseling requirements imposed by the court in the wake of the plea.
“I made a terrible mistake,” Johnson told WFOR-TV on Monday. “I’ve apologized as many times as I could.”
Both Johnson and his lawyer said he hopes to return to the NFL. "[T]o have that taken away from me is a horrible blow,” Johnson said Monday.
Given that Johnson was struggling in training camp with the Dolphins before the arrest, and that he had struggled the prior season in New England, there’s no guarantee his career wouldn’t have ended without the incident. But the incident didn’t help, and at this point it would be a surprise if Johnson gets another second chance.