Former ’SC football receiver Keyshawn Johnson arrested


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Former USC and NFL wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson was arrested in Calabasas, Calif. on Monday on suspicion of domestic abuse, according to a statement from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Officers responded to reports of possible spousal abuse shortly before 1 a.m. Monday morning and determined that Johnson was involved in a “domestic dispute” with his former girlfriend. Johnson was subsequently arrested for misdemeanor domestic battery. He posted $20,000 in bail and was released later that morning.

A Los Angeles native, Johnson played under USC coach John Robinson in 1994 and 1995, helping lead the Trojans to victory in the 1995 Cotton Bowl and 1996 Rose Bowl. He was the first draft pick in 1996 for the New York Jets, and during his career in the NFL played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Dallas Cowboys before announcing his retirement in 2007.

He frequently appears on ESPN as an analyst.

Johnson tweeted a statement Monday evening saying, “I would like to apologize to my family, friends, fans, colleagues, and, of course, to Jennifer for what happened last night at my home in Calabasas. Though the true facts will come out as part of the legal process, I can say now, without hesitation, that I did not hit, grab or strike Jennifer, nor would I ever touch her or any woman in anger. I am cooperating with the authorities and will continue to do so to ensure that this personal matter is fairly and expediently resolved.”

Students on campus weighed in on the news of the former player’s arrest.

“I was surprised to hear he was arrested for domestic abuse,” said Jesse Brummel, a junior majoring in communication. “He stated that he didn’t lay his hands on her, and I believe him. I’m interested to see more facts, though.”

Trevor Williams, a junior majoring in business administration, noted that Johnson spoke in one of his classes, and he seemed very     “put-together.”

“It was surprising,” said Trevor Williams, a junior majoring in business administration. “[Johnson] came into my sports business class last semester, and he seemed like a very                           put-together guy, a very smart man obviously. This doesn’t seem like something he would do based on my limited observation of him, but it is disturbing and I hope the allegations aren’t true.”