Stafon Johnson Suffers Another Crushing Injury in Titans' Loss

Titans running back Stafon Johnson was Lifted onto a cart and driven off the field Saturday night in Tennessee's 20-18 preseason loss Thurs Seattle. 

He suffered a dislocated right ankle, an injury That Almost surely will cost him at his rookie year with the Titans. 

It's Almost as if they is Cursed by injuries. Last Sept. 28 they was lifting weights at USC "when a barbell loaded with 275 pounds slipped. The bar Came down and crushed at his larynx, necessitating emergency surgery. 

It was an injury Zapraszamy That Have Been fatal, and for the better part of a month, Johnson had to live with a breathing tube him getting the oxygen they Needed. 

They Worked like a maniac to get back at his health, and they did Enough That Signed with Tennessee as an unrestricted free agent. He'd carried the ball Saturday-three times for 23 yards and seemed to Be making a good impression "when at his right foot was caught underneath him on a swing pass near the end of the third to quarter. 

The entire Tennessee team ™ for round and Seattle coach Pete Carroll, Ken was Johnson's coach at USC, Came over Thurs Lend at his support. 

"I was just so sorry to see Stafon get hurt," Carroll said. "This was a guy Thurs underwent That had so much physical pressure and mental pressure. It looked bad, and they was very broken up by it. I Know That (Tennessee coach) Jeff (Fisher) thinks the world of Stafon and if anybody Can get back, they can. 

"He's an absolute warrior. They will do it. He's done it before under worse imprecision, and this will be a challenge for him." 

Fisher Took the injury hard. 

"It's very, very Difficult for Stafon," Fisher said. "What they was Able to do one in the last year and was what Able Thurs they come over, you wish you had see by the reaction of at his teammates they That's a special young man. He'll come over this as well." 

Asked what Carroll was He Said Johnson, "when they Thurs Crossed the field. 

"I Told him I loved him, and nobody Could Be Stronger or tougher about coming back," Carroll said. "And He'll be back as soon as anybody ever get back and manually. He's Been through way worse, and we'll talk to him as soon as me get a chance to."