George Johnson (American football) facts for kids
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Johnson with the Lions in 2014
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| Position: | Defensive end | ||||||||||
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| Born: | December 11, 1987 Glassboro, New Jersey |
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| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 265 lb (120 kg) | ||||||||||
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| High school: | Glassboro (Glassboro, New Jersey) |
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| College: | Rutgers | ||||||||||
| Undrafted: | 2010 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
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George Johnson, born on December 11, 1987, is a former professional American football player. He played as a Defensive end, which is a position on the defense that tries to tackle the opposing team's quarterback. George started his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2010. He also played for the Minnesota Vikings, Detroit Lions, and New Orleans Saints. Before becoming a pro, he played college football at Rutgers University. George grew up in Glassboro, New Jersey, and was a star player at Glassboro High School. He still goes back to his old high school every year to help run a football camp for young athletes.
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George Johnson's Football Journey
George Johnson began his professional football career in 2010. He was not chosen in the NFL Draft, so he signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent. This means a team signs a player who wasn't picked during the draft.
Playing for the Buccaneers
George first joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on May 3, 2010. He was released for a short time but then signed back to their practice squad. A practice squad is where players train with the team but aren't on the main roster. Later that year, he moved up to the active roster, which means he could play in games.
Time with the Minnesota Vikings
In November 2012, George joined the Minnesota Vikings' practice squad. He was later moved to their active roster in December 2012. He played with the Vikings until October 2013.
Joining the Detroit Lions
George signed with the Detroit Lions in April 2014. He quickly made an impact in his first game with the Lions. He recorded 1.5 sacks against the New York Giants. A sack is when a defensive player tackles the opposing team's quarterback behind the line of scrimmage.
Back to the Buccaneers
In April 2015, George was traded back to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played in 15 games that year, starting in 5 of them. He made 23 tackles and caused two fumbles. A forced fumble is when a defensive player hits the ball carrier, causing them to drop the ball. In 2016, George had a hip injury that kept him from playing for the whole season. He was released by the Buccaneers in September 2017.
Second Time with the Lions
George returned to the Detroit Lions in September 2017. He was with the team for a short period before being released again in October. He was re-signed in November but released the very next day.
Playing for the New Orleans Saints
In December 2017, George signed with the New Orleans Saints. He quickly showed his skills, getting a sack in his first game with the Saints against the New York Jets. In the next game, he got another 1.5 sacks against the Atlanta Falcons. He signed a contract extension with the Saints in March 2018 but was released later that year in September.
New York Guardians and Retirement
In October 2019, George was chosen by the New York Guardians in the 2020 XFL Draft. The XFL was another professional football league. However, he was released during mini-camp in December 2019. After this, George Johnson ended his professional football career.
