Rob Johnson (football player)
Encyclopedia
Rob Garland Johnson is a former professional
American football
quarterback
who played for 10 seasons in the National Football League
(NFL).
at the University of Southern California
where he was teammates with Keyshawn Johnson
, Curtis Conway
, Johnnie Morton
, Willie McGinest
, and All America tackle and fellow Jacksonville Jaguars
draftee
Tony Boselli
. Johnson left USC holding virtually ever major passing record and spent much of his senior year as a Heisman Trophy
candidate. In his final game for the school, Johnson led his team to victory in the Cotton Bowl Classic, dominating Texas Tech
by a final score of 55-14.
when he was drafted by the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars as the first draft pick of the fourth round (number 99 overall).
, and then Mark Brunell
. Johnson did not start
a game until Week 1 of 1997. In that game, he completed 20 of 24 passes for 294 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 31 yards and one touchdown on four attempts in a 28-27 victory over the Baltimore Ravens. This performance set the record that still stands for the highest completion percentage of any QB in his debut game. The next week Johnson suffered a high ankle sprain
, and soon after Brunell returned to the starting lineup. After another successful season by Brunell, Johnson was placed on the trading block.
in exchange for the Bills' first and fourth round picks in the 1998 NFL Draft. Johnson was immediately named the starting quarterback after signing a five-year, $25 million contract with the team. First-year Bills' head coach Wade Phillips proclaimed Johnson's arrival as the start of a "new era" for the franchise.
Yet, Johnson's hold on the starting job was tenuous from his first game. Facing the San Diego Chargers in week one of the 1998 season, Johnson left with a concussion and the Bills trailing 10-0 before backup quarterback Doug Flutie
led two scoring drives in what was ultimately a 16-14 loss for the Bills. Over the first four games of the year, Johnson completed 63.2% of his passes with five touchdowns and three interceptions. He was sacked 24 times, as the Bills stumbled to a 1-3 start.
With the Bills facing the undefeated Indianapolis Colts in week five, Johnson suffered an injury on the Bills' first offensive series and left the game. Appearing in relief, Flutie led the Bills to a 31-24 victory over the Colts with 24 unanswered points in the second half.
While Johnson was still recovering from his injury, Flutie led the Bills to four consecutive wins before Phillips officially named him the new starting quarterback on November 5, 1998. Speaking to the media following the announcement, Johnson publicly expressed his displeasure, erroneously saying, "I'm not a backup."
Johnson watched from the sidelines as Flutie led the Bills to a 10-6 record before losing to the Miami Dolphins in the first round of the playoffs.
Entering training camp for the 1999 season, Phillips named Johnson and Flutie "co-starters" before ultimately awarding Flutie the starting job. Flutie led the Bills to a 10-5 record before Phillips decided to rest him for the final week of the season. Facing the Indianapolis Colts, Johnson completed 24 of 32 passes for 287 yards as the Bills won 31-6. This performance led Phillips to name Johnson the starter for the Bills' opening round playoff game against the Tennessee Titans. Never before, in the history of the modern NFL, had a team chosen to bench a healthy starting quarterback in favor of a backup to open the playoffs.
Facing the Titans on the road, Johnson led the Bills to a go-ahead field goal with 16 seconds remaining. On the ensuing kickoff, however, Titans tight end Frank Wycheck
completed a pass that was ultimately ruled to be a lateral to returner Kevin Dyson
, who returned the ball for a touchdown and the Titans victory. The game is still the Bills' final appearance in the playoffs.
After the 2000 season, it was clear that the Bills could not keep both Johnson and Flutie on the same team. Doug Flutie went an impressive 4-1, while Johnson had a less than impressive record, leading the Bills to a losing season in the process. Unfortunately for Johnson, the team he was handed in 2001 was much less talented than past Bills teams, and had little success in 2001. His only win of the season came in the very stadium where he started his career, in a Thursday night 13-6 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Johnson led a late-game drive, setting up a tie-breaking field goal that gave Buffalo its first win of the season. Soon after, Johnson broke his collarbone and Alex Van Pelt assumed the starting job for the rest of the 2001 season.
By the end of Johnson's Buffalo career, he earned both enviable and dubious Bills career records. Johnson boasts both the best completion percentage and the worst sack-to-dropback ratio in Bills history. Johnson's reluctance to throw the ball away earned him the nickname "Robo-sack."
, Johnson signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
for the 2002 season
. Under new head coach
Jon Gruden
, the team was looking for a mobile signal caller in the mold of Rich Gannon
. Many thought that Johnson fit that mold - a veteran with arm strength and the ability to scramble, which incumbent Brad Johnson
lacked. However, Rob lacked the other Johnson's pocket awareness and decisiveness, prompting Gruden to name Rob the backup. When Brad Johnson was injured in a game against the Philadelphia Eagles
, Rob Johnson led the Buccaneers to a defense-filled 12-9 victory over the Carolina Panthers
the following week. However, Rob's subpar play in practice led Gruden to try out veteran and fan favorite Shaun King
several weeks later following another Brad Johnson injury. King played so poorly against the Pittsburgh Steelers
, throwing three interceptions (one of which was returned for a touchdown) versus only five completions that Rob Johnson started the second half, leading the Buccaneers to a late touchdown drive but failing to spark a comeback. The following week, with a first-round playoff bye on the line, Johnson led the Buccaneers to five field goals against the Chicago Bears
at the University of Illinois' Memorial Stadium
for the franchise's first-ever victory when the kickoff temperature was below freezing. For the third time at the controls of the Buccaneers, Johnson did not turn the ball over. Johnson saw playoff action in injury relief of Brad Johnson once again, and helped the Bucs keep their Super Bowl hopes alive. Brad Johnson returned and led Tampa to their first Super Bowl title a few weeks later. Johnson decided to sign elsewhere after the 2002 season. While he did not become the QB Gruden had hoped for, he served as a reliable backup who helped his team win the Super Bowl title
.
officials, but ultimately signed to the Washington Redskins
. Johnson did not start for Washington, but saw action in a game against his old team, the Buffalo Bills. Johnson was called into the game after starting quarterback Patrick Ramsey
was injured. He entered the game to a chorus of boos from the crowd at Ralph Wilson Stadium
and was sacked by Aaron Schobel
on his second play of the game, sending the crowd into a frenzy. The very next day, owner Daniel Snyder
terminated Johnson's contract and replaced him with free agent Tim Hasselbeck
.
to help ease their QB woes. Climbing the chart over Rick Mirer
and Tee Martin
, Johnson saw playing time on a Monday Night Football
game against the Green Bay Packers
. Green Bay steamrolled Oakland and Johnson. His last pass attempt was directed at the legendary Jerry Rice
, but it fell incomplete. Following the season, Oakland still owned the rights to Johnson; however, he did not return with the team and the Raiders cleared his roster spot.
, a procedure usually performed on baseball
pitcher
s. A tendon was taken from Johnson's wrist and transplanted into his elbow to replace the injured tendon that resembled "a frayed rope" from overuse. A year after his surgery, Johnson worked out for the Tennessee Titans
, who were looking for depth after letting Steve McNair sign with the Baltimore Ravens. Johnson threw for the team, but was still not in game shape; reports suggested his arm strength was under 50%. A year later, Johnson tried out for, and was signed by, the New York Giants
and battled for a backup spot behind Eli Manning
. Johnson once again lost out to Tim Hasselbeck
, and was cut before the preseason came to an end. Johnson said in an NFL.com interview that if he felt he could still play at an NFL level, he would continue his career.
Early in the 2008 season, the Titans lost starter Vince Young to injury. Since Jeff Fisher traditionally carried just two QB's on a roster, only Kerry Collins was left, with no backup. Fisher brought in—among other QB's—Rob Johnson for a workout. Ultimately, the team stuck with Kerry Collins as the sole QB and nestled Young into a backup role once cleared to play. This was the last reported NFL workout for Johnson.
Professional sports
Professional sports, as opposed to amateur sports, are sports in which athletes receive payment for their performance. Professional athleticism has come to the fore through a combination of developments. Mass media and increased leisure have brought larger audiences, so that sports organizations...
American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
who played for 10 seasons in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL).
College career
Johnson played college footballCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
where he was teammates with Keyshawn Johnson
Keyshawn Johnson
Joseph Keyshawn Johnson is a former American football wide receiver, interior designer, business executive, author and current television broadcaster for sports channel ESPN. He retired from football on May 23, 2007 after an eleven-year career in the National Football League...
, Curtis Conway
Curtis Conway
Curtis Lamont Conway is a former National Football League wide receiver and was a first round 1993 NFL Draft choice out of the University of Southern California...
, Johnnie Morton
Johnnie Morton
Johnnie James "Big Play" Morton, Jr. is a former NFL wide receiver. Originally drafted by the Lions in the 1st round in the 1994 NFL Draft, he played in Detroit until 2002. He subsequently signed with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he played for three seasons. In 2005, he signed with the San...
, Willie McGinest
Willie McGinest
William Lee "Willie" McGinest, Jr. is a retired American football linebacker in the National Football League.-Early life and career:...
, and All America tackle and fellow Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
draftee
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
Tony Boselli
Tony Boselli
Don Anthony "Tony" Boselli, Jr. is a former American football offensive tackle. He spent nearly all of his professional career playing for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League ....
. Johnson left USC holding virtually ever major passing record and spent much of his senior year as a Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
candidate. In his final game for the school, Johnson led his team to victory in the Cotton Bowl Classic, dominating Texas Tech
Texas Tech Red Raiders football
Texas Tech Red Raiders football program is a college football team that represents Texas Tech University . The team competes, as a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
by a final score of 55-14.
Professional career
Johnson joined the NFL in 19951995 NFL Draft
The 1995 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 22–23, 1995 at the Paramount Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City...
when he was drafted by the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars as the first draft pick of the fourth round (number 99 overall).
Jacksonville Jaguars
Johnson spent his first two seasons with Jacksonville on the bench, first backing up Steve BeuerleinSteve Beuerlein
Stephen Taylor "Steve" Beuerlein is a former football quarterback, and currently is an NFL and college football analyst for CBS.-Education:...
, and then Mark Brunell
Mark Brunell
Mark Allen Brunell is an American football quarterback who currently plays for the New York Jets. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Washington....
. Johnson did not start
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
a game until Week 1 of 1997. In that game, he completed 20 of 24 passes for 294 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 31 yards and one touchdown on four attempts in a 28-27 victory over the Baltimore Ravens. This performance set the record that still stands for the highest completion percentage of any QB in his debut game. The next week Johnson suffered a high ankle sprain
High ankle sprain
A high ankle sprain, also known as a syndesmotic ankle sprain, is a sprain of the syndesmotic ligaments that connect the tibia and fibula on the lower leg. Syndesmotic ankle sprains are known as high because their location on the lower leg is above the ankle...
, and soon after Brunell returned to the starting lineup. After another successful season by Brunell, Johnson was placed on the trading block.
Buffalo Bills
On February 14, 1998, the Jaguars traded Johnson to the Buffalo BillsBuffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in exchange for the Bills' first and fourth round picks in the 1998 NFL Draft. Johnson was immediately named the starting quarterback after signing a five-year, $25 million contract with the team. First-year Bills' head coach Wade Phillips proclaimed Johnson's arrival as the start of a "new era" for the franchise.
Yet, Johnson's hold on the starting job was tenuous from his first game. Facing the San Diego Chargers in week one of the 1998 season, Johnson left with a concussion and the Bills trailing 10-0 before backup quarterback Doug Flutie
Doug Flutie
Douglas Richard "Doug" Flutie is a former American and Canadian football quarterback. Flutie played college football at Boston College, and played professionally in the National Football League, Canadian Football League, and United States Football League...
led two scoring drives in what was ultimately a 16-14 loss for the Bills. Over the first four games of the year, Johnson completed 63.2% of his passes with five touchdowns and three interceptions. He was sacked 24 times, as the Bills stumbled to a 1-3 start.
With the Bills facing the undefeated Indianapolis Colts in week five, Johnson suffered an injury on the Bills' first offensive series and left the game. Appearing in relief, Flutie led the Bills to a 31-24 victory over the Colts with 24 unanswered points in the second half.
While Johnson was still recovering from his injury, Flutie led the Bills to four consecutive wins before Phillips officially named him the new starting quarterback on November 5, 1998. Speaking to the media following the announcement, Johnson publicly expressed his displeasure, erroneously saying, "I'm not a backup."
Johnson watched from the sidelines as Flutie led the Bills to a 10-6 record before losing to the Miami Dolphins in the first round of the playoffs.
Entering training camp for the 1999 season, Phillips named Johnson and Flutie "co-starters" before ultimately awarding Flutie the starting job. Flutie led the Bills to a 10-5 record before Phillips decided to rest him for the final week of the season. Facing the Indianapolis Colts, Johnson completed 24 of 32 passes for 287 yards as the Bills won 31-6. This performance led Phillips to name Johnson the starter for the Bills' opening round playoff game against the Tennessee Titans. Never before, in the history of the modern NFL, had a team chosen to bench a healthy starting quarterback in favor of a backup to open the playoffs.
Facing the Titans on the road, Johnson led the Bills to a go-ahead field goal with 16 seconds remaining. On the ensuing kickoff, however, Titans tight end Frank Wycheck
Frank Wycheck
Frank John Wycheck is a former American football tight end in the National Football League. Wycheck attended Archbishop Ryan High School in Northeast Philadelphia. Drafted in sixth round of the 1993 NFL Draft out of the University of Maryland by the Washington Redskins...
completed a pass that was ultimately ruled to be a lateral to returner Kevin Dyson
Kevin Dyson
Kevin Tyree Dyson is a former American football wide receiver of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Tennessee Oilers 16th overall in the 1998 NFL Draft. He played college football at Utah....
, who returned the ball for a touchdown and the Titans victory. The game is still the Bills' final appearance in the playoffs.
After the 2000 season, it was clear that the Bills could not keep both Johnson and Flutie on the same team. Doug Flutie went an impressive 4-1, while Johnson had a less than impressive record, leading the Bills to a losing season in the process. Unfortunately for Johnson, the team he was handed in 2001 was much less talented than past Bills teams, and had little success in 2001. His only win of the season came in the very stadium where he started his career, in a Thursday night 13-6 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Johnson led a late-game drive, setting up a tie-breaking field goal that gave Buffalo its first win of the season. Soon after, Johnson broke his collarbone and Alex Van Pelt assumed the starting job for the rest of the 2001 season.
By the end of Johnson's Buffalo career, he earned both enviable and dubious Bills career records. Johnson boasts both the best completion percentage and the worst sack-to-dropback ratio in Bills history. Johnson's reluctance to throw the ball away earned him the nickname "Robo-sack."
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
After a dismal 2001 campaign that saw Johnson miss half the season with a broken clavicleClavicle
In human anatomy, the clavicle or collar bone is a long bone of short length that serves as a strut between the scapula and the sternum. It is the only long bone in body that lies horizontally...
, Johnson signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
for the 2002 season
2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was their most successful season in franchise history. The season began with the team trying to improve on a 9-7 season and did so with a franchise best 12-4 record. It was Jon Gruden's first season as the Buccaneers head coach...
. Under new head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Jon Gruden
Jon Gruden
Jon David Gruden is an American football analyst and former head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for seven seasons and prior to that the Oakland Raiders for four seasons. In his first year as the head coach of Tampa Bay, the Buccaneers won Super Bowl XXXVII, defeating the Raiders whom he had...
, the team was looking for a mobile signal caller in the mold of Rich Gannon
Rich Gannon
Richard Joseph Gannon is a former football quarterback, who achieved most of his success late in his career with the Oakland Raiders in the National Football League...
. Many thought that Johnson fit that mold - a veteran with arm strength and the ability to scramble, which incumbent Brad Johnson
Brad Johnson (American football)
James Bradley Johnson is a former National Football League Super Bowl-winning quarterback. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the ninth round of the 1992 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State.-Early years:Brad went to Charles D...
lacked. However, Rob lacked the other Johnson's pocket awareness and decisiveness, prompting Gruden to name Rob the backup. When Brad Johnson was injured in a game against the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Rob Johnson led the Buccaneers to a defense-filled 12-9 victory over the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
the following week. However, Rob's subpar play in practice led Gruden to try out veteran and fan favorite Shaun King
Shaun King
Shaun Earl King is a former Tulane University and National Football League quarterback.-High School:King is a 1995 graduate of Gibbs High School .-College:...
several weeks later following another Brad Johnson injury. King played so poorly against the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
, throwing three interceptions (one of which was returned for a touchdown) versus only five completions that Rob Johnson started the second half, leading the Buccaneers to a late touchdown drive but failing to spark a comeback. The following week, with a first-round playoff bye on the line, Johnson led the Buccaneers to five field goals against the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
at the University of Illinois' Memorial Stadium
Memorial Stadium (Champaign)
thumb|right|300px|Original plan for Memorial Stadium circa 1921. Caption from [[Popular Mechanics]] Magazine, 1921Memorial Stadium is a football stadium located in Champaign, Illinois, in the United States, on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The stadium is dedicated as...
for the franchise's first-ever victory when the kickoff temperature was below freezing. For the third time at the controls of the Buccaneers, Johnson did not turn the ball over. Johnson saw playoff action in injury relief of Brad Johnson once again, and helped the Bucs keep their Super Bowl hopes alive. Brad Johnson returned and led Tampa to their first Super Bowl title a few weeks later. Johnson decided to sign elsewhere after the 2002 season. While he did not become the QB Gruden had hoped for, he served as a reliable backup who helped his team win the Super Bowl title
Super Bowl XXXVII
Super Bowl XXXVII was an American football game played on January 26, 2003 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 2002 regular season...
.
Washington Redskins
When it became obvious that Brad Johnson was the franchise QB following the Super Bowl win, Rob met with Dallas CowboysDallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
officials, but ultimately signed to the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
. Johnson did not start for Washington, but saw action in a game against his old team, the Buffalo Bills. Johnson was called into the game after starting quarterback Patrick Ramsey
Patrick Ramsey
Patrick Allen Ramsey is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins 32nd overall in the 2002 NFL Draft...
was injured. He entered the game to a chorus of boos from the crowd at Ralph Wilson Stadium
Ralph Wilson Stadium
Ralph Wilson Stadium is a football stadium, located in the town of Orchard Park, a suburb of Buffalo, New York. It is the home for the Buffalo Bills, of the NFL...
and was sacked by Aaron Schobel
Aaron Schobel
Aaron Ross Schobel is a retired American football defensive end. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft and played his entire career for the Bills, retiring before the 2010 season. He played collegiately at Texas Christian University .-High school...
on his second play of the game, sending the crowd into a frenzy. The very next day, owner Daniel Snyder
Daniel Snyder
Daniel M. Snyder is the current owner of the Washington Redskins American football team, owner of the Dick Clark Productions television production company, and primary investor in Red Zebra Broadcasting, which is home to the Redskins Radio Network. Snyder has a net worth of $1.05 billion...
terminated Johnson's contract and replaced him with free agent Tim Hasselbeck
Tim Hasselbeck
Timothy Thomas "Tim" Hasselbeck is an American ESPN analyst and former professional American football quarterback for the New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Philadelphia Eagles, and Buffalo Bills....
.
Oakland Raiders
Soon after his release, Johnson was signed by the Oakland RaidersOakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
to help ease their QB woes. Climbing the chart over Rick Mirer
Rick Mirer
Richard Franklin Mirer is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. After a successful collegiate career at the University of Notre Dame, Mirer was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks with the second pick in the 1993 NFL Draft. Mirer was traded to the Chicago Bears during...
and Tee Martin
Tee Martin
Tamaurice Nigel "Tee" Martin is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League and Canadian Football League...
, Johnson saw playing time on a Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
game against the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
. Green Bay steamrolled Oakland and Johnson. His last pass attempt was directed at the legendary Jerry Rice
Jerry Rice
Jerry Lee Rice is a retired American football wide receiver. He is generally regarded as the greatest wide receiver of all time and one of the greatest players in National Football League history...
, but it fell incomplete. Following the season, Oakland still owned the rights to Johnson; however, he did not return with the team and the Raiders cleared his roster spot.
Johnson's Tennessee/NY Comebacks
Following his release, Johnson underwent Tommy John surgeryTommy John surgery
Tommy John surgery, known in medical practice as ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, is a surgical procedure in which a ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with a tendon from elsewhere in the body...
, a procedure usually performed on baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
s. A tendon was taken from Johnson's wrist and transplanted into his elbow to replace the injured tendon that resembled "a frayed rope" from overuse. A year after his surgery, Johnson worked out for the Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
, who were looking for depth after letting Steve McNair sign with the Baltimore Ravens. Johnson threw for the team, but was still not in game shape; reports suggested his arm strength was under 50%. A year later, Johnson tried out for, and was signed by, the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and battled for a backup spot behind Eli Manning
Eli Manning
Eli Nelson Manning is an American football quarterback for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He is the younger brother of NFL quarterback Peyton Manning and the son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning...
. Johnson once again lost out to Tim Hasselbeck
Tim Hasselbeck
Timothy Thomas "Tim" Hasselbeck is an American ESPN analyst and former professional American football quarterback for the New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Philadelphia Eagles, and Buffalo Bills....
, and was cut before the preseason came to an end. Johnson said in an NFL.com interview that if he felt he could still play at an NFL level, he would continue his career.
Early in the 2008 season, the Titans lost starter Vince Young to injury. Since Jeff Fisher traditionally carried just two QB's on a roster, only Kerry Collins was left, with no backup. Fisher brought in—among other QB's—Rob Johnson for a workout. Ultimately, the team stuck with Kerry Collins as the sole QB and nestled Young into a backup role once cleared to play. This was the last reported NFL workout for Johnson.