Bengals' Johnson "rusty' but involved | Lexington Herald Leader

CINCINNATI — Chad Johnson fully participated in drills for the first time Saturday as the Cincinnati Bengals wrapped up their minicamp.

The disgruntled receiver limited himself to a few drills during workouts on Thursday and Friday, complaining through his agent that he has a bad ankle. He looked fine during a workout on Saturday, catching passes from Carson Palmer.

He declined to talk to the media again, other than to say ”Vote for Obama“ as he walked off the field — apparently throwing his support behind Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

”I think it's been good for him to get back into the flow of things,“ Coach Marvin Lewis said. ”We still have to get some clarity on the ankle and being able to deal with that because it is something we dealt with a year ago.“

Johnson has been lobbying for a trade since the Bengals went 7-9 last season and fans grew weary of his complaints that he's no longer appreciated in Cincinnati. The Bengals refused to deal him, and Johnson threatened to sit out the season. He didn't attend any of the team's voluntary workouts.

Johnson faced a fine if he didn't attend the mandatory, three-day minicamp.

”He's rusty,“ offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski said. ”I told him he looked rusty. Nobody likes to hear that. He's going against guys who have been out here for 14, 16 (voluntary) practices, you know. You're going to look that way.“

Dallas stadium worker dies

DALLAS — An electrician working at the new Dallas Cowboys stadium died Saturday when he touched a high-voltage line, the second serious accident at the construction site in less than a week.

Timothy Mackinnon, 45, was standing on a ladder and performing an electrical test when he touched the power line, said Neal Strasser, a battalion chief with the Arlington Fire Department.

The man became wedged between the ladder and the stadium wall. A co-worker carried him to the ground, but revival attempts at the scene were unsuccessful.

Construction at the stadium did not stop Saturday and was continuing even as emergency personnel rushed Mackinnon, 45, to the hospital, Strasser said.

”They were still working as we were walking out,“ Strasser said. ”The workers were visibly upset.“

The death comes two days after a crane accident at the construction site in suburban Arlington sent three workers to the hospital.