Skip to main content

Houston WR Andre Johnson reports to camp

By WTOP Staff

KRISTIE RIEKEN
AP Sports Writer

HOUSTON (AP) — Andre Johnson had some issues with the Houston Texans.

In the end, they weren’t serious enough to keep the star receiver off the field.

Johnson was all smiles when he reported to camp on time Friday. He’s looking to move past an offseason where he skipped workouts and a mandatory minicamp after wondering in May whether Houston was “still the place for me.”

“I love playing this game of football,” Johnson said Friday. “I’m going to play football and … I don’t plan on walking away from this.”

He wouldn’t divulge what exactly was said or done to get him to return to the team. But said he’s excited to be back with his teammates and that it’s his plan to finish his career with the Texans.

His teammates shared his enthusiasm and said he received a standing ovation and was greeted with a slow clap when he entered a meeting on Friday morning.

“He’s a huge part of our team,” left tackle Duane Brown said. “He’s been my teammate my whole time here and is a guy that I really look up to as a professional and it was good to have him in the building.”

The 33-year-old Johnson, whose 1,407 yards receiving in 2013 ranked second in the AFC, rejoins a team that is looking to bounce back from a disastrous 2-14 season. He’s the longest-tenured Texan after joining the franchise in its second season. In that time he’s played on just three teams with winning records, fueling his frustration.

“I’ve been here 12 years. There’s been a lot of things that happened,” he said. “I’ve never really voiced my opinion on them. I think at times there comes a time when you don’t agree with something, things need to be said. That’s pretty much what it was.”

He said his unhappiness stemmed from playing here so long and feeling that his opinions were not being heard.

“It gets frustrating,” he said. “After what happened last year, we went 2-14 and things like that, it wasn’t only frustrating for me, I understand it was frustrating for everybody.”

He knows some fans were angry at him for skipping Houston’s offseason work, but said the people he came into contact with were overwhelmingly supportive.

“It was never nothing negative,” he said. “I think if anybody had something negative, it was behind my back. It was nothing said to my face. It was a lot of positive things. People telling me that they’re praying for me. Things like that. They understand the way I felt.”

Johnson has been the one constant on this young franchise through three different coaching regimes, several quarterback changes and countless player moves. Houston’s first two No. 1 overall draft picks David Carr and Mario Williams have come and gone, but Johnson has remained. He’s the only player on the team to have endured both of the team’s 2-14 seasons after also playing on the 2005 squad that posted the franchise-worst mark.

After spending his career here, he knew this was where he needed to be despite his reservations about enduring what some view as another rebuilding season.

“This is my home now,” he said. “I’ve been here for so long. I was in Miami my whole life and now I’ve been here for going on 12 years. This is my home away from home. I think I’ve I built a great foundation here and built a great relationship with the fans.”

Johnson has always been known as a hard worker and said he’ll do whatever it takes to learn coach Bill O’Brien’s new offense. He knows it will be a challenge after missing so much time, but he’s looking forward to it.

He’ll have a new quarterback this season after the Texans signed veteran free agent Ryan Fitzpatrick in the offseason after Matt Schaub was traded to Oakland.

Fitzpatrick is eager to work with Johnson.

“He’s a guy that’s well-respected, not just here but around the league,” Fitzpatrick said. “Anytime you have somebody like that on your team it’s a great thing and he’ll be a great player like he always has (been) and a great leader for us this year.”

Several other Texans met with reporters after Johnson did on Friday, but this year’s top overall draft pick outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney was not among them. His status for the first day of camp is still unclear as he recovers from surgery to repair a sports hernia.

___

Online:

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote