Keyshawn Johnson helped NFL Films cut its feature to his approval
Last season, Keyshawn Johnson was the subject of an NFL Films Presents feature, which he did not like. He called NFL Films president Steve Sabol about it and this season, NFL Films gives Tampa Bay's new deep threat the rare opportunity to make his own "director's cut" of the segment in NFL Films Presents – Raw Deals.
Raw Deals, featuring the revised Johnson piece, airs on ESPN on Monday, Sept. 18 at 2:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. and on ESPN2 on Tuesday, September 19 at noon.
Later in the week, Buc fans can catch Johnson's director's cut on Thursday, Sept. 21 at 3:30 p.m. and on Friday, September 22 at 7:30 p.m. All times are Eastern.
To see a mini-feature on Johnson's reworked feature, click here to go to NFL FilmsTV.
Sabol traveled back to Johnson's Los Angeles restaurant Reign – site of the first feature – to find out exactly what Johnson did not like about the previous story and make changes per Johnson's direction.
"Looking at this piece you didn't like," says Sabol. "We have Joe Theismann comparing you to Michael Jordan. Dave Anderson (New York Times columnist) compares you to Muhammad Ali. Vinny Testaverde says you're the hardest working guy on the team. We give you free publicity for your restaurant. And you still didn't like it."
The discussion between Sabol and the All-Pro auteur included lessons ranging from poetic license to playing special teams in the Pro Bowl.
NFL Films Presents – Raw Deals includes two additional stories:
Find out what happens when Defenses Backs Attack. It is not a new reality based show, but an examination of the mental and physical risks of going "over the middle" in the NFL. Defensive backs, wide receivers and quarterbacks from the past and present give first person accounts about the heavy price a the defense makes a receiver pay when catching passes in the NFL's high rent district.
Lastly, in 1925 the Pottsville Maroons won the NFL Championship, but were soon stripped of their title. Meet town residents of this tiny Pennsylvanian coal-mining town, who after seventy-five years later, still take up the quest to reinstate their champions.
