Chris Johnson's efforts to find a team for the 2018 season may have just hit the skids.
According to a report from ABC Action News in Tampa, Florida, Johnson is facing battery charges for an incident that occurred at a nightclub back in early April. Johnson entered a plea of not guilty on Thursday.
According to a Tampa Police Department report Johnson – who played four games with the Arizona Cardinals in 2017 – assaulted a valet at 'The Lodge,' on South Howard Ave in Tampa's Hyde Park.
The altercation, which started as a dispute over some keys, took place just before 1 a.m. on April 9th.
The victim, Matthew McNeel, suffered a bloody nose and a cut lip. Surveillance cameras in the parking lot of the eatery captured the alleged crime.
Johnson grew up in Orlando, Florida, and lives there during the offseason. (The two cities are about an hour and a half apart.) Johnson played part of last season for the Arizona Cardinals, rushing 45 times for 114 yards. He was similarly ineffective during the 2016 season, when he ran 25 times for 95 yards.
He will turn 33 years old early next season and now, coming off two sub-par campaigns and facing battery charges, it seems unlikely that Johnson will find work for 2018. Even if he does, he might not be able to play the whole year. Depending on how the case shakes out, Johnson could possibly face discipline from the league under the personal conduct policy.