It was a moment captured forever in time. A hall of fame wide receiver, Andre Johnson, taking on Cortland Finnegan, one of the best corners of his era. The two were centerpieces of their respective teams. Johnson, the engine of the Houston Texans offense. Finnegan, the disruptor of the Tennesse Titans defense. They were two men who did not get along in the slightest.
They were two men destined to square off for as long they both played. Yet, on one fateful day in 2010, their rivalry would explode in a violent orchestra of sound and chaos. Johnson, the offensive player, did something very offensive; he pummeled Finnegan into the ground. It was week 11, and Johnson was already on top of the world with his performance against the Titans.
Yet, a scrum happened, and Johnson was able to rip off Finnegan's helmet and start laying straight shots into his head and face before players and officials quickly separated the two. It was a moment that defined an ear for the Texans faithful, but why did the two division foes finally come to blows?
Speaking to KPRC 2's Chancellor Johnson (via LMTOnline), Johnson explains that the fight was years in the making, saying;
""People think that's something that just happened, I just blew. [But] that had been going on for about like three or four years. [Finnegan] had been asking for it, though. Even his teammates knew.""
The fight is one of the more dramatic pieces of Texans' on-field history, with the incident still available to watch on the Texans' own website. It's a regrettable moment, but it stands out against the test of time. After all, not only are we writing about it, but others are still talking about it. It's one of those moments that will forever be remembered just for the sure magnitude of the moment.