Number 90

90 Days until the NFL’s 100th Season. On the countdown of 100 stuff and things that should not have happened in the NFL, Ezra Johnson asks “Are employee snacks subsidized?” A hot dog and a handshake. I’ve been given this as a payment in pro wrestling before, but on the night of August 30, 1980 Packers defensive end Ezra Johnson received no hand shake after throwing down some beef. During a blowout loss to the Denver Broncos in the last game of the pre-season, Ezra Johnson was seen eating a hot dog. “I was just hungry, that’s the truth.” Johnson said. Head Coach Bart Starr wasn’t concerned about his player’s appetite, and fined Johnson one thousand dollars. If that wasn’t enough, defensive line coach Fred von Appen quit over the ordeal, thinking Starr should have suspended Johnson. At the time, Johnson was coming off his career best season, making the Pro Bowl and recording 20 and a half sacks. This incident didn’t help the Packers when the regular season started. They stumbled out of the gate and they finished 5-10-1, last in their division. This hung like a dark cloud over Johnson all year and he never again had a pro bowl year. In fact, he lost his starting job the following year and was used mostly on third downs in pass situations. He was labeled inconsistent with a lack of discipline.
Did this downward spiral really happen because a guy ate a damn hot dog? Yes and no. It physically of course had nothing to due with back injuries that would plague Johnson for the rest of his career, but it made him look like he didn’t give a crap. That’s how the media saw it and that’s how von Appen saw it when he quit the team. Perception is reality in this case. It’s nice to see that years later, Johnson has a good sense of humor about this and takes it all in stride, but at the time this was a big deal. Number 90 on our countdown, Ezra Johnson eats a hot dog, it never should have happened.