The legal portion of Chad Johnson's ongoing nightmare is over.
In a press release headlined, "Judge approves plea for former football player" (Editor's note: Ouch), it was announced that a Broward County judge OK'd a plea agreement between state prosecutors and Johnson to resolve the wide receiver's misdemeanor domestic violence charge.
Johnson will serve one year of probation, complete batterers' intervention counseling and pay restitution for medical costs. Under terms of the agreement, he is barred from having any contact with Evelyn Lozada, his now-former wife.
Johnson was arrested Aug. 11 after head-butting Lozada during an argument in the driveway of their home. Johnson was released by the Miami Dolphins the next day in a scene captured by HBO "Hard Knocks" cameras. Lozada quickly filed for divorce.
Johnson has attempted to repair his damaged reputation in the weeks since the arrest. He appeared on the "Hard Knocks" season finale, expressing his desire to continue playing and unveiling a fresh tattoo of Lozada's face on his calf. This week, he showed up on Showtime's "Inside The NFL," explaining how recent events have sharpened his focus.
Johnson wants back into the NFL, but the drama of the past six weeks appears to have moved him into the more-trouble-than-he's-worth category. It will take more than a couple cameos on premium cable to fix that.
Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter @danhanzus.
