Has Keyshawn Johnson really been a great receiver in his career?

Question

I don't think he has. I think he's overrated. Sure he has a SuperBowl ring, but he didn't win the SuperBowl by himself now did he! He has been to a few ProBowls, but only because he was a fan favorite in the voting. He really has never been a playmaker in his career to my opinion like some people say he has!

Answer 1

No, overrated player at best. A little sissy whiner is more like it

Answer 2

No he's not a great reciever, he's just a good player to have. He'll make the tough catches against Safeties and Line Backers while also helping block for the run game down field. People calling him overrated...no...he's not even close to being overrated...everyone knows he's not the best reciever, especially lined across from Steve Smith now. All Keyshawn is supposed to do this year is give them a solid #2 reciever and an extra blocker for Foster and Williams. Steve Smith is still going to be accounting for most the Carolina's passing game, that goes without saying...but Keyshawn is going to help more than people think he will....hell, you saw the Seattle game...they needed Keyshawn then.

Furthermore, he's not the sole reason that people are saying Carolina has it this year...it's because they aren't starting silly washout Stephen Davis anymore...they're starting a very ellusive DeShaun Foster..and provided he stays healthy, expect explosion...and if not...DeAngelo Williams was 4th all-time NCAA rusher in college, he'll do the work. Smith is expected to dominate just like last year, if not more with Colbert healthy and adding Keyshawn...a lot of pressure will be taken off Smith. Colbert had a 750 yard rookie season (without playing every game) when Smith was injured in 04, and played the 05 season with a bad leg. So he's a solid #3 WR. Foster is probably the #4 WR at his running back position, he did very well last year in the passing game, and nothing should change there.

But yeah, just watch and wait to see how Johnson works out....I agree, he's not a playmaker...but as I've shown...he doesn't have to be on this team.

Answer 3

After I am done answering this question, you will wish you had never asked it. =) But I will try to be nice...

Keyshawn is entering his 11th season and has had 10 seasons to pat his numbers. He has 9756 yards receiving. At the same time in his career Jerry Rice had 13,000 + receiving yards.

Who would you say is a big-time WR right now? Well most people would say Terrel Owens. Owens entered the NFL the same year as Keyshawn ('96) and has gathered 10,535 receiving yards. Which is a mere 500 or so yard more than KJ. I wouldn't say that 500 is a HUGE number to be behind, would you? Now everyone knows T.O. is a playmaker, and we know he is brilliant at the position. So why are you so caught aback when someone says that Keyshawn is/was a great WR?

This is what I think. Owens is probably going to put up some big numbers for years to come. On the other hand Johnson has been up and down the last 5 years. Even if they were stay in the league the same number of years, most people are willing to believe that Owens is going to have a more decorative career. But you aren't talking about the future, you asked about thus far in KJ's career.

You say overrated, but really he is just like any other well known WR. He has just began to take the back seat.., Ever since the Tampa Bay incident he has been trying to not drag that kind of attention with him, unlike Owens going from SF to Philly.

OK next on the list. Don't EVER denounce a player for having a super bowl ring. Of course he didn't win it alone... That is fairly obvious :-). But neither has ANY other player/ TEAM to win the big game. NO ONE wins it alone. And you can not degrade KJ's talent and success for not winning the super bowl BY HIMSELF, in a TEAM sport... Next you will be trying to tell me Steve Young is overrated becuase he didn't win any of his multiple superbowls alone... (Please don't say that... lol)

Next, you said he made it into the ProBowl(s) becuase he is a fan favorite. Well isn't that WHY most guys make it in. Usually if the player puts up nice numbers they are a "fan favorite". Peyton Manning, Shaun Alexander, etc. I mean we vote them in, and with a mixture of popularity and skills, KJ was bound to make a ProBowl or two wasn't he?

Ok.. im done ;) Sorry for any spelling and/or grammar errors.

Thanks for the "entertaining" question!,

JD

Answer 4

I think he's been a good player, but not great.

he's consistently gotten around 1000 yards receiving 6 TD a season - which is respectable numbers, though not great. A healthy Keyshawn on a good team can be very dangerous - just look at the numbers he put up when the Bucs were winning games.

Answer 5

Like T.O., this is the season to prove the critics wrong. If Johnson wants to be perceived as the kind of wide out he was forcasted to be, he's gonna have to do it now. Keyshawn still has the chance to prove that he deserved to be mentioned in the group of elite.
Will he do it? Nope! He'll have to settle for also ran despite having a fairly good career. He simply will not live up to his billing.

Answer 6

I like Keyshawn--his style of play. He pissed me off with his antics in Tampa Bay, but I think his leaving and going to Dallas calmed his 'tude down. I always respect a player more when they aren't doing the Look at me! Look at me! scream to the media. I think he is a solid player. I wouldn't say that he is overrated. He still has a lot more playing to do. Maybe in 10 more years we can really debate your question properly. :)

Answer 7

He's one of the best possession-type receivers to play the game. He's not a big game threat, and when he understands his role as a middle-distance receiver he's very, very good.

Answer 8

I agree with you. However, he will look like a a great steal when he plays for the Panthers. He finally has a good QB throwing him the ball.

Answer 9

He's a decent posession receiver. He should do well in Carolina with a strong #1 WR in front of him.

Answer 10

not great but good.