By Stevie Johnson Has A Touchdown Celebration Ready For The Chiefs Week One, Claims Bills Players Were “Shocked” Lee Evans Was Traded
August 18, 2011 – 5:30 am by Steven Cuce
Stevie Johnson is not worried at all about the Lee Evans trade. Number thirteen has officially become the Buffalo Bills number one wide receiver and from the sound of it he is extremely confident about taking on that challenge. The man who made the ‘Why so serious?’ touchdown dance a trademark last year speaks of telling the rest of the Bills wide receiving core that they must become ‘factors’ this season in order for him to succeed. Johnson said it was a shock to hear Evans was traded to Baltimore.
As for Johnson’s wild touchdown celebrations? Well according to the man himself in the following interview with WGR in Buffalo he has something in store for the Kansas City Chiefs once he hits pay-dirt in week one, but he’s gotta take care of business and make sure he gets there first. Ryan Fitzpatrick’s new number one target expects to have a huge season this year as the Bills new go-to man.
Stevie Johnson joined WGR in Buffalo on The Howard Simon Show to discuss being worried about double coverage coming his way now with Lee Evans being traded to Baltimore, the conversation he had with Lee Evans before he was traded to Baltimore, the feeling that Lee Evans wanted out of Buffalo, his approach on offense changing with Lee Evans traded, getting a long term contract with the Buffalo Bills and his plans for new touchdown celebrations this year.
Are you worried about what attention will come your way with Lee Evans being traded to the Baltimore Ravens?
“No. Not at all. I mean shoot this is part of the game. There are others guy out there that change positions and have to deal with this type of thing. I’m not worried about it all. These are just the cards being dealt to me. We’ll just see what happens and I know this is going to open it up for other guys and they’ll have an opportunity to have a pretty good season, so I am good with it as long as we get wins. I am going to be fine. If we are losing I am going to be pissed off.”
What kind of conversation did you have with Lee Evans when the trade happened? Did you see it coming?
“No, well it kind of came out of nowhere. We actually…I don’t know exactly when he was supposed to be traded or whatever, but two days before we ended up hearing about it and we just thought it was some kind of rumor or whatever they were going to try trade Lee or whatever or we probably thought it was going to happen after the season after we see what happens with another year in this offense, but it happened and everyone was pretty much shocked. The next day you got to understand this is a business. This is life in the NFL. Anything can happen. Everybody pretty much moved on. Lee was a good guy, but this is part of the business. Things have to happen.”
Did you get the feeling that Lee Evans wanted to be out of Buffalo?
“No. Not at all. I don’t feel like…Nobody around here felt like he wanted to be gone and if he did he probably kept it to himself. He kept it to himself very well, but nobody thought he did not want to be on the Buffalo Bills.”
How does the Lee Evans trade change your approach on offense? Does it change your approach at all?
“No. Not at all. I’m not really going to change anything. I have been factor from high school all the way to now. I opened up a little bit to the guys telling them how they have got to become factors because throughout my career I’ve always came in whether I was the 3rd guy, 4th guy, or 5th guy. Now I am the number one guy, but I came in with the attitude to try to be a factor. If you’re a factor for your team wherever you are then somebody is going to have to deal with you. I’m telling the guys now that you guys have to be a factor. Nothing has really changed. I still come in with the same attitude: hungry and ready to go.”
Have you or your agent had any contact with the team about getting a long term contract for you? We hear the Bills are close to giving Kyle Williams a contract extension?
“Well hopefully, but I haven’t heard anything yet. With the news on trying to sign Kyle, I hope that happens with what you are telling me. That is huge right there. He’s a stud on the defense, so hopefully we do get that contract extension for Kyle and whatever for me. We don’t know yet. We haven’t heard anything. Hopefully I will be next.”
Have you been thinking about celebrations for this year? What have you been planning?
“What? Of course! Of course. I got so many celebrations planned, but I gotta get into the end zone first. I gotta handle business first then have fun. [Host: Can you give us any hints at all?] No I can’t give you no hints, but I know week one with the [Kansas City] Chiefs I have something for them. I got something for their defense, but I can’t say anything. I’ll keep it a surprise.”
Listen to Stevie Johnson on WGR here
Tags: Buffalo Bills, Lee Evans traded to the Baltimore Ravens, NFL, Stevie Johnson, The Howard Simon Show, WGR
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