{"id":42519,"date":"2025-07-28T11:46:09","date_gmt":"2025-07-28T11:46:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/42519\/"},"modified":"2025-07-28T11:46:09","modified_gmt":"2025-07-28T11:46:09","slug":"josh-johnson-whats-life-like-as-the-nfls-most-prolific-journeyman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/42519\/","title":{"rendered":"Josh Johnson: What\u2019s life like as the NFL\u2019s most prolific journeyman"},"content":{"rendered":"

Facebook<\/p>\n

Tweet<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Email
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

Link<\/p>\n

\n In 2008, the NFL<\/a> was a vastly different league than it is now.\n <\/p>\n

\n Tom Brady<\/a> was still in his first decade of his 23-season-long career, games were still available to watch on analog television and Aaron Rodgers<\/a> \u2013 currently the league\u2019s oldest active player \u2013 had only just been announced as the starting quarterback for the Green Bay Packers.\n <\/p>\n

\n This was the NFL Josh Johnson was stepping into as a rookie. Since then, Johnson has been a member of 14 different teams \u2013 including the San Francisco 49ers four times, the Baltimore Ravens three times and three other teams twice \u2013 meaning he holds the record for the most teams a player has been on.\n <\/p>\n

\n It is a journey that has sent the 39-year-old to every corner of the US \u2013 with stints in other professional football leagues included.\n <\/p>\n

\n It is an odyssey which has had its ups and downs for Johnson, battling loneliness, doubt and finding his place in the game he loves.\n <\/p>\n

\n And it\u2019s a trek which has taught Johnson lessons not only about football, but also about life, family and himself.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cIt means resiliency to me now,\u201d Johnson told CNN Sports<\/a> when asked what his record means to him. \u201cIt means faith. It means determination. It means always being able to find a way.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cAnd that comes from my family. That\u2019s my family trait. That\u2019s a lot of faith, that\u2019s a lot of belief. Because I\u2019m in a lot of situations where it didn\u2019t look like it was going to be in my favor, things worked out in my favor.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\"Johnson<\/p>\n

\n Having played his college football at San Diego, Johnson was selected in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft<\/a> by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.\n <\/p>\n

\n After serving as the team\u2019s backup on his rookie contract \u2013 in the five starts he made for the Bucs, he had an 0-5 record \u2013 Johnson moved to new pastures. He chose to sign for the 49ers, the team he grew up supporting as a California native which was led by his coach at San Diego, Jim Harbaugh.\n <\/p>\n

\"Johnson<\/p>\n

\n But what seemed like the perfect opportunity for Johnson quickly turned into devastating blow and a moment of learning for the young, aspiring quarterback.\n <\/p>\n

\n Johnson was let go as part of the Niners\u2019 roster cuts ahead of the 2012 season, missing out on the third quarterback spot to Scott Tolzien, with Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick on the team already.\n <\/p>\n

\n It was the first time in his career that Johnson had been cut from a team and, for it happen through his college coach and with his hometown team, it had a big impact on Johnson.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cI remember that day like it happened yesterday. I felt like my world ended the first time,\u201d he remembered.\n <\/p>\n

\n In the face of the blow to his confidence \u2013 he described being cut as not \u201cpart of my initial plan\u201d \u2013 Johnson focused on remaining true to who he was.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cI had to make sure that, firstly: \u2018Don\u2019t forget who you are.\u2019 And then secondly, it was: \u2018Ok, why are you still doing this?\u2019\u201d he said.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cIt\u2019s like: \u2018You love football. You love getting out on the grass. You love going through the process of getting better. You love going out there being able to compete and you love going out there and doing your thing on the field. So get up, get off your ass and go get back to it.\u2019\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n From there, Johnson\u2019s nomadic journey began in earnest.\n <\/p>\n

\n After a brief stint in the United Football League with the Sacramento Mountain Lions before the league folded, Johnson bounced around the NFL with numerous teams over the next years, including four franchises in 2015 alone.\n <\/p>\n

\n This process of moving around the league, having to keep stopping and starting brought about a range of emotions for Johnson, especially doubt and loneliness.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cDoubt was more so like not understanding when your next opportunity is going to come from,\u201d he told CNN Sports. \u201cYou got to listen to other people\u2019s advice to hope that: \u2018OK, this is going to work itself out.\u2019\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\"Johnson<\/p>\n

\n As for loneliness, he explains that it was an emotion he dealt with primarily at the start of the epic journey, particularly as he was in the early stages of a relationship with his now-wife.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cThe loneliness was for the first few days because it was more so like I felt like I let myself down. I felt like I didn\u2019t put myself in position to be successful in the way that I wanted to be,\u201d he said.\n <\/p>\n

\n The constant churn of teams was also a stark reminder that while football is a sport, it is also a business \u2013 and sometimes business decisions have to be made.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cThe NFL is kind of a tricky thing on how people view you. Somebody may love you, somebody may hate you, and it depends on who that person is,\u201d Johnson said.\n <\/p>\n

\n He highlights learning from the plethora of stellar head coaches he\u2019s played under, soaking up the wisdom they have imparted and the personal bonds he\u2019s formed with teammates and coaching staff as the reasons why he believes he\u2019s stuck around and \u201ccreated a little niche\u201d in the league.\n <\/p>\n

\"Johnson<\/p>\n

\n Throughout this long, winding path around the NFL, Johnson \u2013 who is now with the Washington Commanders<\/a> \u2013 had to reconsider what he could offer and bring to a franchise. He isn\u2019t able to contribute on the field as much as he\u2019d like, but through his \u201cknowledge for the game\u201d and personal relationships, he believes he\u2019s still a valuable asset to have around.\n <\/p>\n

\n Outside of the team facilities, Johnson says he does his own research \u2013 whether through conversations, on social media or on the EA Sports video game franchise \u201cMadden\u201d \u2013 to ensure he\u2019s as clued in as he can possibly be. The hard work Johnson puts in helps endear himself to his teammates and therefore, he says, \u201cgain their respect.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n Johnson has been in football for 18 years and has met plenty of different faces. And he crosses paths with those coaches who he encountered during his early years, something he says also helps his reputation.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cWhen I was in my earlier days in the league, I showed them the respect, talk football with them and got to know them and they\u2019re like: \u2018This guy knows ball,\u2019\u201d he said. \u201cIn our game, people respect doing that.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cAnd when they start getting opportunities and our paths cross again, I\u2019ve come to find out there\u2019s another level of trust that I\u2019ve gained organically. All those things to me have compiled into creating opportunity for someone. Because most guys don\u2019t play this long as backups. I don\u2019t have a lot of starts, but I\u2019ve been in professional football, specifically, for 18 years.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n Switching teams so regularly means he\u2019s constantly having to meet and form bonds with new people, despite running into familiar faces occasionally. Forming a personal relationship with someone in an organization will help both you and them, Johnson explains.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cWe just value someone\u2019s name and just having that natural bond and getting to know them,\u201d he said. \u201cThat can spread you thin a little bit.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cBecause knowing people in the organization is very important because they\u2019re resources and they do a lot of things that can make your life a little easier. But also getting to know them helps them serve you a lot better.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n Over the years, Johnson has learned some tricks to help acquaint himself with new colleagues, from researching the background of management or coaches or looking up teammates on Madden to know a bit about their game.\n <\/p>\n

\n He describes it as the kind of research you were taught to do at college and means he\u2019s \u201cnot learning playbooks and people all from scratch at the same time.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\"Johnson<\/p>\n

\n Johnson has picked up a haul of memorabilia over his NFL career and someday hopes to deck out his permanent home with it all to remember every stop he\u2019s been along the way.\n <\/p>\n

\n A longer content idea has also been bubbling round his head \u2013 like a feature film or a documentary about his life \u2013 for when he does eventually hang up his cleats, due to the unique nature of his career.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cWe all want to have a Hall of Fame career, but somebody\u2019s going to get the high side of things, somebody will get the low side of things,\u201d he said.\n <\/p>\n

\n But this movement around the league has brought its own logistical challenges, as well as personal ones.\n <\/p>\n

\n Logistically, Johnson\u2019s permanent home has always remained in Oakland. And on his journey around the country \u2013 he describes having \u201ca lot of zip codes under my belt\u201d \u2013 he\u2019s tried all sorts of moving techniques.\n <\/p>\n

\"Johnson<\/p>\n

\n Johnson\u2019s had a consistent home in a city, lived in a hotel or in short-term housing. He\u2019s \u201cdone it all,\u201d he says, also noting that he changes what he brings to each new location.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cI used to go from moving everything with me to not bringing anything but some clothes and toothbrush to sometimes \u2013 because I\u2019ve only on the team for a week \u2013 to just buying some clothes when I\u2019ve been out there and just wearing the gear that they gave me,\u201d he said.\n <\/p>\n

\n One bit of advice from Johnson: make friends with a moving company. \u201cThe more moving companies in my phone, the better,\u201d he said.\n <\/p>\n

\n While his wife used to stay at their permanent residence while he moved around, their perspective changed over recent years and now she \u2013 and their son \u2013 joins him often on his travels.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cShe\u2019s a big part of who I am, a big part of my journey, there\u2019s a different level of comfort when she\u2019s around, just to endure the things that I normally have to go through,\u201d he said. \u201cBecause every time you switch teams, it\u2019s like you\u2019ve got to reprove yourself. You got to reprove yourself to a locker room, to an organization, to a coaching staff. And my wife matters in part of that process.\u201d\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Facebook Tweet Email Link In 2008, the NFL was a vastly different league than it is now. Tom…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":42520,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[63],"tags":[349,99],"class_list":["post-42519","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nfl","tag-nfl","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42519","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42519"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42519\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/42520"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42519"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42519"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42519"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}