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D.C. United striker Eddie Johnson has been sidelined with a heart condition, multiple sources confirmed to ESPN FC. The Washington Post reported earlier on Tuesday that Johnson's ailment "threatens to derail his career." Johnson, 30, missed most of training camp and has yet to play this season. He will not travel with the team to face the New York Red Bulls on Sunday. In November, Johnson revealed he had an enlarged heart. "It was really scary," he said at the time, according to the Post. "They did an echo, CAT scan on my brain and chest. Everything was fine." D.C. coach Ben Olsen called Johnson's ailment a "potential life issue." "It's a terrible situation for Eddie, but I've spoken with Eddie, and Eddie gets it," Olsen told the Post. "There is a potential life issue here that has to be focused on and making sure he is not putting himself in any danger to play this sport again. That is all that matters. "It's disappointing, but he has had a good career. I stopped when I was around his age. He played at a higher level than I did. He started pro when he was 16-17. That is a heck of a career. He should appreciate those years. I know he is thinking about the next stage in his life, if it comes to that." A source close Johnson told ESPN FC's Jeff Carlisle: "Everybody is just being very careful. Everyone wants the best outcome for Eddie. "He's down because he's not allowed to do any [physcial] activity." News of Johnson's ailment comes a year after D.C. United extended his contract and made him a designated player. It is unknown if the Seattle Sounders knew of his heart condition when they traded him to D.C. in December 2013. Information from ESPN FC'S Jeff Carlisle was used in this report.
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