Longhorn legend Derrick Johnson hosted his first annual Celebrity Waiter Night in Austin, Texas. The dinner was a fundraiser for DJ’s Defend The Dream Foundation and was an incredible evening for the future of AISD students and literacy.

The event was held at the Four Seasons Hotel in downtown Austin and was headlined by the great DJ and his wife Brittni, along with a drove of celebrity waiters from Longhorn athletics, entertainment, and culinary circles. 

Former Texas coach Mack Brown, along with many of his former players — Michael Huff, Michael Griffin, Jamaal Charles, B.J. Johnson, Marquise Goodwin, Cory Redding, Aaron Williams and more served dinner. More recent UT alumni also participated, including 49ers defensive tackle Alfred Collins and a duo of Saints players in DT Vernon Broughton and linebacker Jaylan Ford. Current Longhorns Hero Kanu, Jelani McDonald, and Markus Boswell also lent a hand to the cause.

They were joined by UT basketball legend T.J. Ford, former World Series MVP David Freese, NFL super agent David Mulugheta and WWE Superstar/the World’s Strongest Man Mark Henry, plus a number of additional familiar faces.

Defend The Dream performs library makeovers for Title I elementary schools in the Austin Independent School District. Since moving the foundation from Kansas City to Austin, seven “DJ’s Discovery Dens” have opened locally. The Discovery Dens renovate school libraries with new paint, furniture, décor, and 1,000 new age-appropriate books, helping increase a child’s love of learning and reading.

Each library makeover costs about $50,000. The foundation has been operating at a pace of one renovation per semester, but with the overwhelming support generated at Celebrity Waiter Night, more than $650,000 raised, the organization plans to increase its pace to two libraries per semester, but that could grow even further.

“Tonight is a little more nerve-racking than a football game to me, because there’s a lot of things I can’t control,” Johnson told Inside Texas before the event. “When I’m on the field, I can’t control everything, but I’m in my box and there’s a lot more I can control. But being able to serve at a high level means the world to me, and in these moments I’m reminded why I do what I do. It’s because of the kids — it’s bigger than football at the end of the day.”

When Coach Brown spoke, he said Johnson was undoubtedly the best linebacker he’d ever seen or coached, but what’s even more impressive is that he’s a better person than he was as a player. Johnson, a father of six, didn’t rest on his accomplishments after retiring from Kansas City as the Chiefs’ all time leading tackler in 2019. He kept striving for greatness on behalf of others.

One of the most special moments of the evening came when Austin Mayor Kirk Watson recognized Johnson for his service on and off the field and declared February 22 “Derrick Johnson Day” in Austin.

Athletic Director Chris Del Conte was also in attendance. Retire No. 11, CDC. It’s time.

As for which waiter Johnson thought would receive the most complaints from guests: “It’s gotta be a young guy. I won’t call out any names, but they haven’t been to as many nice restaurants. But as for the best? Mack Brown’s going to be the lead waiter, I’m just going to have him be the greeter, just go talk to people.”

You can learn more or get involved in Johnson and Defend The Dream’s fight against illiteracy at derrickjohnsonfoundation.org. Just $25 donates a new book and could change a life.

Inside Texas will have more from Celebrity Waiter Night as we caught up with Alfred Collins, Jaylan Ford and Marquise Goodwin,