Anchor down: CBS 2’s Rob Johnson out for knee surgery

Rob Johnson

Rob Johnson

Rob Johnson, veteran news anchor at CBS-owned WBBM-Channel 2, is laid up at home this week while recovering from knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus.

A CBS 2 spokeswoman said Johnson is expected back to work on Monday. Irika Sargent will be anchoring the 5, 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts solo for the rest of the week.

Johnson told Facebook friends Tuesday he underwent arthroscopic surgery at Northwestern Memorial Hospital to repair a medial meniscus, the band of cartilage on the inner side of the knee joint, damaged by wear and tear. He said he hopes to be fully healed in four to six weeks, and back on the ice playing hockey “probably by mid-October.”

“Thanks to all for kind post-op wishes, I really appreciated all of them,” Johnson wrote. “Gonna chill the rest of the week, but back on the air next Monday! Thanks to Stacy Johnson for taking good care of me!”

Johnson, 48, joined CBS 2 in 2006 as 5 p.m. news anchor and was promoted the following year to 10 p.m. news anchor. He previously worked eight years as weekend news anchor and reporter at ABC-owned WLS-Channel 7.

Ryan Baker, Rob Johnson, Irika Sargent and Steve Baskerville

Ryan Baker, Rob Johnson, Irika Sargent and Steve Baskerville