Michael Johnson (safety) facts for kids
Johnson in 2009
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| No. 43, 20, 45 | |||||||||||
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| Position: | Safety | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | May 9, 1984 Austin, Texas, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 207 lb (94 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Pflugerville (Pflugerville, Texas) | ||||||||||
| College: | Arizona | ||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2007 / Round: 7 / Pick: 224 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||
Michael Johnson (born May 9, 1984) is a former American football player. He played as a safety, which is a defensive position in football. He was chosen by the New York Giants in the 2007 NFL draft. He also played for the Detroit Lions. Before joining the NFL, he played college football at the University of Arizona.
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College Football Career
Michael Johnson played college football for the University of Arizona. He joined the team after transferring from Tyler Junior College. During his time at Arizona, he played in 21 games and started 14 of them.
He made 107 tackles, which means he stopped the opposing team's players many times. He also had 5 interceptions, where he caught the ball thrown by the other team's quarterback. In 2006, he was recognized as a second-team All-Pac-10 player. This means he was one of the best players in his college conference.
Professional Football Career
Michael Johnson began his professional football journey when he was drafted by the New York Giants in 2007. He was the 224th player picked overall.
Playing for the New York Giants
When Michael Johnson joined the Giants, he wore jersey number 43. In his first year, he helped the team win Super Bowl XLII. This is one of the biggest championships in American sports. He played alongside other new players who also helped the Giants win.
During the 2007 playoffs, in a game against the Green Bay Packers, Michael Johnson made a very important play. A teammate fumbled the ball, and an opposing player almost recovered it. But Michael Johnson quickly punched the ball out, and his team recovered it instead. This play helped the Giants win the game in overtime.
In 2008, Michael Johnson changed his jersey number to 20. He became a starting safety for the Giants, playing both free safety and strong safety positions. He finished that season with 88 total tackles and two interceptions. He was one of the top defensive players on his team. After the 2010 season, he became a free agent, meaning he could sign with any team.
Time with the Detroit Lions
On August 10, 2011, Michael Johnson signed with the Detroit Lions. However, he was released by the team later that month, on August 29, 2011. This marked the end of his professional football career.
Michael Johnson's Life Off the Field
Michael Johnson was born in Austin, Texas. He went to Pflugerville High School before playing college football. He has a brother named Reggie Brown, who also played professional football as a linebacker for the Detroit Lions.
