(Reuters) - The decision to release Chad Johnson shortly after the six-times Pro Bowl wide receiver was arrested in a domestic violence case was not a reactionary one, the head coach of the Miami Dolphins said on Monday.
The move brought a swift end to Johnson's tenure with the Dolphins, where he was hoping to rejuvenate his National Football League (NFL) career, after a dismal season spent with the New England Patriots.
'As with any type of these decisions, it was not an easy one, it was not reactive, nor was it based on one single incident,' Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin told reporters.
'In making these decisions we base our evaluations on a set of criteria that support our organizational goals and include a player's performance both on and off the field.'
Johnson signed with the Dolphins on June 11, seeking a fresh start following a season in which he had 15 receptions for 276 yards and one touchdown, considerably off his career highs.
The Dolphins issued a one-sentence statement late on Sunday to say they cut Johnson, about 24 hours after he was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence after he allegedly head-butted his wife during an argument at their home.
Questions about Johnson dominated Philbin's Monday media briefing, where the head coach insisted the decision was based on the receiver's time with the team and not just the developments over the weekend.
'It was more a body of evidence from June 11th forward,' said Philbin.
'When he came in on June 11, we sat down and we talked and I was very clear as to the expectations of the program. It just didn't work out.
'It's more about the fit; in my gut I didn't think the fit was going to be beneficial to either party moving forward, whether in the short-term or the long-term.
'That's really what it was all about. It wasn't about one specific thing.'
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Matt Barker)
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