Stevie Johnson t-shirt penalty gets 2012 off to rousing start (video)

Well, 2012 is going to be just as stupid as 2011, if this is any indication. After Stevie Johnson caught a touchdown pass to give the Bills a 14-0 lead over the Patriots on Sunday, he pulled up his jersey to reveal a festive greeting to the TV viewers … and promptly drew a 15-yard excessive celebration penalty. And that prompted Bills coach Chan Gailey to bench him.

Johnson said that he didn’t know his little demonstration would draw a flag. Gailey:

“He is not a bad guy; he’s not. He’s a good guy, but he uses some bad judgment at times and if you do that enough and it hurts the team, you’ve got to do something.”

Johnson was also fined $10,000 for pretending to shoot off a rifle against the Patriots last year, mocking the costumed Minutemen who celebrate a New England score. And he drew an excessive celebration penalty against the Jets this season when he pretended to shoot himself in the legs — mimicking New York receiver Plaxico Burress — then imitated an airplane crashing into the turf.

The Patriots came back from a 21-0 deficit to win, 49-21, earning the AFC’s top seed in the playoffs.

But Johnson’s Magic Marker gaffe wasn’t quite as embarrassing as this:

Even Premiere League soccer players are embarrassed by that flop.