Brian Johnson (American football coach) facts for kids
| Washington Commanders | |
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| Position: | Assistant head coach / offensive pass game coordinator |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | February 16, 1987 Barrett Station, Texas, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Robert E. Lee (Baytown, Texas) |
| College: | Utah (2004–2008) |
| Undrafted: | 2009 |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
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| As coach: | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Coaching stats at PFR | |
Brian Delance Johnson, born on February 16, 1987, is an American football coach and former player. He currently works as the assistant head coach and offensive pass game coordinator for the Washington Commanders in the National Football League (NFL). Before this, he was an offensive coordinator for college teams like the Utah Utes, Houston Cougars, and Florida Gators. He also served as an offensive coordinator for the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles. Johnson played college football at Utah and briefly played for the United Football League's (UFL) New York Sentinels in 2009.
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Brian Johnson's Early Life and High School Football
Brian Johnson was born in Barrett Station, Texas, on February 16, 1987. He went to Robert E. Lee High School. There, he was a talented athlete in both football and basketball. In his senior year, 2003, he became the starting quarterback. He threw for 2,900 yards and 33 touchdowns. He also ran for 540 yards and scored 12 touchdowns. Brian was named the district's Most Valuable Player. He also earned first-team all-district and second-team all-state honors. After high school, he was recruited by colleges like Utah, Illinois, and Louisiana Tech.
Brian Johnson's College Football Career
Playing for the Utah Utes
Brian Johnson played college football for the Utah Utes. In 2004, as a freshman, he played in ten games. He was the backup quarterback to Heisman Trophy finalist Alex Smith. Brian threw for one touchdown and ran for another.
In 2005, Johnson became the starting quarterback. He played ten games before a knee injury ended his season. He finished with 2,892 passing yards and 18 touchdowns. He was named the Mountain West Conference (MWC) Offensive Player of the Week once. This was after he completed 32 of 45 passes for 384 yards and four touchdowns against Wyoming. He also rushed for 67 yards and a touchdown in that game. He was a top player in the MWC for total offense and passing yards.
After his knee surgery, Brian took a "redshirt" year in 2006. This meant he didn't play, allowing him to recover. He returned in 2007, starting ten of eleven games. He finished the season with 2,636 passing yards and 24 touchdowns. In the 2007 Poinsettia Bowl against Navy, he was named the Most Valuable Player. He completed 20 of 25 passes for 226 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for 69 yards and a touchdown.
Undefeated Season and Sugar Bowl Win
In 2008, Brian Johnson returned for his final season as Utah's starting quarterback. The Utes had an amazing season. They won against tough teams like Michigan and TCU. In their last regular season game, Johnson threw for 303 yards and four touchdowns. This led Utah to a 48–24 victory over BYU.
Utah finished the regular season ranked sixth in the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) poll. They earned a spot in the 2009 Sugar Bowl against fourth-ranked Alabama. In the Sugar Bowl, Johnson played incredibly well. He threw for 336 yards and three touchdowns. Utah won 31–17, a big upset! Brian was named the Sugar Bowl's Most Outstanding Player. Utah finished the season undefeated with a 13–0 record. Brian Johnson was even featured on the cover of the NCAA Football 10 video game for the PlayStation 3.
Brian Johnson's record as a starting quarterback at Utah was 26 wins and 7 losses. This made him the winningest quarterback in the school's history.
College Statistics Overview
Here's a look at Brian Johnson's college football statistics:
| Passing | Rushing | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | GP | Rating | Comp | Att | Pct | Yds | TD | INT | Sack | Att | Yds | TD | |
| 2004 | 7 | 124.42 | 13 | 20 | 65 | 126 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 21 | 92 | 1 | |
| 2005 | 10 | 151.01 | 210 | 330 | 63.6 | 2892 | 18 | 7 | 26 | 152 | 478 | 8 | |
| 2006 | Did not play due to injury | ||||||||||||
| 2007 | 11 | 129.61 | 181 | 272 | 66.5 | 1848 | 11 | 10 | 21 | 85 | 150 | 2 | |
| 2008 | 13 | 149.43 | 268 | 394 | 68.0 | 2972 | 27 | 9 | 26 | 108 | 128 | 1 | |
| Career | 41 | 138.62 | 672 | 1,016 | 66.14 | 7,838 | 57 | 27 | 75 | 366 | 848 | 12 | |
Professional Playing Career
After college, Brian Johnson was not chosen in the 2009 NFL draft. He was invited to a mini-camp with the Green Bay Packers. He was later selected by the New York Sentinels in the first United Football League (UFL) draft. He signed with the team in August 2009 but was released a month later.
Brian Johnson's Coaching Career
Coaching at Utah Utes
In January 2010, Brian Johnson began his coaching career. He became the quarterbacks coach at the University of Utah. On February 2, 2012, just before his 25th birthday, he was promoted. He became the offensive coordinator at Utah.
Coaching at Mississippi State Bulldogs
On February 10, 2014, Johnson moved to Mississippi State. He became the quarterbacks coach there. This reunited him with coach Dan Mullen, who had offered him a scholarship to Utah years earlier.
Coaching at Houston Cougars
On December 27, 2016, Brian Johnson was hired by the Houston Cougars. He took on the roles of offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
Coaching at Florida Gators
On December 10, 2017, Johnson joined the University of Florida. He became the quarterbacks coach, working again with head coach Dan Mullen. In 2020, he was promoted to offensive coordinator. This made him the first African-American offensive coordinator in the team's history.
Coaching at Philadelphia Eagles
On January 27, 2021, Johnson was hired by the Philadelphia Eagles. He served as their quarterbacks coach and wide receivers coach. In 2023, he was promoted to offensive coordinator. He left the team after the 2023 season.
Coaching at Washington Commanders
On February 15, 2024, Brian Johnson joined the Washington Commanders. He was hired as their assistant head coach and offensive pass game coordinator. He works under head coach Dan Quinn.
