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From espn.com
Certain that his back injury had improved significantly over the past several days, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Brad Johnson set out to convince his bosses of his recovery on Wednesday, and he apparently succeeded.
Sidelined since a Dec. 15 game against Detroit, when an unidentified Lions defender landed on his back, Johnson took the majority of the snaps with the first-unit offense on Wednesday and he reported no pain. So impressed was coach Jon Gruden that he announced Johnson will start for the Bucs in their first playoff game the weekend of Jan. 11.
"He looked like he had no (ill) effects whatsoever," Gruden said. "He made some nice moves, moving to his left and moving to his right. He pushed up in the hole. He threw some intermediate cuts, threw some outside-breaking routes, pushed the ball when he wanted to."
The Bucs earned a playoff bye this week and will host a divisional round game on Jan. 11 or Jan. 12.
Johnson, 34, sat out the final two games of the regular season, with Shaun King and Rob Johnson each earning a start as the Bucs split the contests. An 11-year veteran, Johnson enjoyed one of the finest seasons of his career in 2002. He started 13 games and completed 281 of 451 passes for 3,049 yards, with 22 touchdown passes, six interceptions and a career-best rating of 92.9.
In his final six starts of the regular season, Johnson threw for 15 touchdowns and had only one interception.
The injury occurred toward the end of the Dec. 15 game, as Johnson ran on a scramble to move the Bucs into range for the game-winning field goal. Team officials described the injury as a deep bone bruise.
There were rumors, along with one broadcast and one published report that Johnson had suffered broken vertebrae in his back. Gruden reiterated several times those reports were untrue.
Johnson said Wednesday that, having finished a practice and pronounced himself pain-free, the rumors about his condition should cease.
"Again, it's over, the story is over," Johnson said. "There shouldn't be another question now about this injury. Not a hit, not a throw, the story is over. I'm moving great and I feel great. I'm not worried about taking any hits, I'm not worried about anything. The only thing I'm worried about is getting ready for (Thursday's) practice, getting better, and finding out who we are going to play."
Bucs doctors described the injury as a very deep bruise, and one club source told ESPN.com the bruise went all the way to the bone.
Said a much relieved Johnson after the Wednesday practice: "I feel like I could play this week if I had to. It's just great that we had the bye week and got some extra (recovery) time."
Certain that his back injury had improved significantly over the past several days, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Brad Johnson set out to convince his bosses of his recovery on Wednesday, and he apparently succeeded.
Sidelined since a Dec. 15 game against Detroit, when an unidentified Lions defender landed on his back, Johnson took the majority of the snaps with the first-unit offense on Wednesday and he reported no pain. So impressed was coach Jon Gruden that he announced Johnson will start for the Bucs in their first playoff game the weekend of Jan. 11.
"He looked like he had no (ill) effects whatsoever," Gruden said. "He made some nice moves, moving to his left and moving to his right. He pushed up in the hole. He threw some intermediate cuts, threw some outside-breaking routes, pushed the ball when he wanted to."
The Bucs earned a playoff bye this week and will host a divisional round game on Jan. 11 or Jan. 12.
Johnson, 34, sat out the final two games of the regular season, with Shaun King and Rob Johnson each earning a start as the Bucs split the contests. An 11-year veteran, Johnson enjoyed one of the finest seasons of his career in 2002. He started 13 games and completed 281 of 451 passes for 3,049 yards, with 22 touchdown passes, six interceptions and a career-best rating of 92.9.
In his final six starts of the regular season, Johnson threw for 15 touchdowns and had only one interception.
The injury occurred toward the end of the Dec. 15 game, as Johnson ran on a scramble to move the Bucs into range for the game-winning field goal. Team officials described the injury as a deep bone bruise.
There were rumors, along with one broadcast and one published report that Johnson had suffered broken vertebrae in his back. Gruden reiterated several times those reports were untrue.
Johnson said Wednesday that, having finished a practice and pronounced himself pain-free, the rumors about his condition should cease.
"Again, it's over, the story is over," Johnson said. "There shouldn't be another question now about this injury. Not a hit, not a throw, the story is over. I'm moving great and I feel great. I'm not worried about taking any hits, I'm not worried about anything. The only thing I'm worried about is getting ready for (Thursday's) practice, getting better, and finding out who we are going to play."
Bucs doctors described the injury as a very deep bruise, and one club source told ESPN.com the bruise went all the way to the bone.
Said a much relieved Johnson after the Wednesday practice: "I feel like I could play this week if I had to. It's just great that we had the bye week and got some extra (recovery) time."
