Stevie Johnson facts for kids
Johnson with the San Francisco 49ers in 2014
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| Position: | Wide receiver | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | July 22, 1986 San Francisco, California, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 207 lb (94 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Angelo Rodriguez (Fairfield, California) |
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| College: |
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| NFL Draft: | 2008 / 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 | |||||||
Steven John Johnson Jr. (born July 22, 1986) is a former American football player. He played as a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). Stevie Johnson was picked by the Buffalo Bills in the 2008 NFL draft. He also played for the San Francisco 49ers and San Diego Chargers. Even though he never made the Pro Bowl, he was the first Bills receiver to have over 1,000 receiving yards in two seasons in a row. Many people think he was one of the best players the Bills ever drafted.
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Early Life and High School Football
Stevie Johnson was homeschooled for part of his education. He only played football for two years in high school. This was because his local public school, Angelo Rodriguez High School, did not have a football team until his junior year. After his senior season, he was named All-State and first-team All-Conference. He also played basketball for two years and was a second-team All-Conference player.
College Football Career
Johnson first went to Chabot College in California from 2004 to 2005. Then, he moved to the University of Kentucky.
First Season at Kentucky
In his first year with Kentucky, he caught 12 passes for 159 yards. He also scored 1 touchdown. In a game against Clemson in the Music City Bowl, Johnson caught three passes for 67 yards.
Record-Breaking Season in 2007
The 2007 season was amazing for Johnson. He caught 61 passes for 1,052 yards and 13 touchdowns. He became only the fourth player in Kentucky's history to gain over 1,000 receiving yards. His 13 touchdowns that season rank second in the school's records.
During this season, he caught three game-winning touchdowns. One of these was against Florida State in the Music City Bowl. After the season, Johnson was chosen for the College Football News' All-Southeastern Conference first-team.
Professional Football Career
Johnson was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL draft. He was the 224th player picked overall.
Playing for the Buffalo Bills
2008 Season Highlights
Johnson's first catch in the NFL was in Week 5 against the Arizona Cardinals. It was for 8 yards. In Week 15, he caught his first touchdown pass against the New York Jets. He scored another touchdown a week later against the Denver Broncos. Johnson finished his first season with 10 catches for 102 yards and 2 touchdowns.
2009 Season Challenges
In 2009, Johnson had a serious rib injury. Because of this, he only caught 2 passes for 10 yards all season.
2010 Season Breakout
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After working hard in the off-season, Johnson became a starting receiver for the 2010 season. He soon became quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick's favorite player to throw to. In a game against the Baltimore Ravens, Johnson had a great game with 8 catches for 158 yards and a touchdown. Two weeks later, he caught a career-high 11 passes for 145 yards against the Chicago Bears.
Johnson was known for his touchdown celebrations. In a game against the New England Patriots, he pretended to be a minuteman firing a rifle. He was fined $10,000 for this. In another game, he scored 3 touchdowns against the Cincinnati Bengals. After one touchdown, he lifted his jersey to show "Why so serious?" written on his T-shirt. This was a quote from the movie The Dark Knight. He was fined $5,000 for this celebration.
After dropping a pass that could have won the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Johnson shared his frustration online. He had a fantastic year in 2010 with 82 catches, 1,073 yards, and 10 touchdowns.
2011 Season and More Celebrations
In 2011, Johnson had 76 catches for 1,004 yards and 7 touchdowns. He later said he played that year with a torn groin and a broken hand. He was fined twice more for his celebrations. In one game, he mocked a Jets player. In another, he showed "Happy New Year!" on his shirt after a touchdown. His coach benched him for the rest of that game.
2012 Season and New Contract
On March 5, 2012, Johnson signed a new 5-year contract with the Buffalo Bills. It was worth $36.25 million. In the 2012 season, he continued to play well. He had 79 catches for 1,046 yards and 6 touchdowns. He became the only Bills receiver at that time to have three straight seasons with over 1,000 receiving yards.
2013 Season Changes
After quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick left the team, Johnson played with new Bills quarterback EJ Manuel. He caught the game-winning touchdown from Manuel in a game against the Carolina Panthers. Johnson did not reach 1,000 yards this season, finishing with 52 catches for 597 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Playing for the San Francisco 49ers
On May 9, 2014, the Bills traded Johnson to his hometown team, the San Francisco 49ers. This happened after the Bills drafted another receiver, Sammy Watkins. In 2014, Johnson had 35 catches for 435 yards and 3 touchdowns. The 49ers released him on March 15, 2015.
Playing for the San Diego Chargers
On March 17, 2015, Johnson signed a three-year contract with the San Diego Chargers. He started the 2015 season well but was slowed down by injuries. He finished the season with 45 catches for 497 yards and 3 touchdowns. In August 2016, it was announced that Johnson would miss the entire 2016 season due to surgery on his knee. The Chargers released him on March 7, 2017.
NFL Statistics Overview
| Season | Team | Games | Receiving | Rushing | Fumbles | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | FUM | Lost | ||
| Regular Season | ||||||||||||||
| 2008 | BUF | 11 | 10 | 102 | 10.2 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 6 | - | - | - |
| 2009 | BUF | 5 | 2 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2010 | BUF | 16 | 82 | 1,074 | 13.1 | 45 | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| 2011 | BUF | 16 | 76 | 1,004 | 13.2 | 55 | 7 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2012 | BUF | 16 | 79 | 1,046 | 13.2 | 63 | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 |
| 2013 | BUF | 12 | 52 | 597 | 11.5 | 45 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 10 | 10 | - | 1 | 0 |
| 2014 | SF | 13 | 35 | 435 | 12.4 | 32 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2015 | SD | 10 | 45 | 497 | 11.0 | 34 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 99 | 381 | 4,764 | 12.5 | 63 | 34 | 2 | 16 | 8 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 1 | |
| Postseason | ||||||||||||||
| No playoff appearances | ||||||||||||||
Playing Style and Skills
Stevie Johnson was known for his unique way of running routes and his quick footwork. He said he learned these skills from playing basketball. He used his quickness to trick defensive players and get open. This helped him succeed even though he was not the biggest or fastest player.
Personal Life and Post-NFL Career
Stevie Johnson is the cousin of rapper Ya Boy and NBA player Kawhi Leonard. In 2014, he showed his tattoos for a PETA campaign against wearing fur.
After retiring from the NFL, Johnson became the head coach for his former high school football team. He also stayed involved in the Buffalo community. He helped write a children's book about his NFL career. He later wrote two more books about his Bills teammates, Fred Jackson and Ryan Fitzpatrick.
In 2023, Johnson helped start a flag football product called Redzone Football. In 2025, he shared that he owned the rights to the Buffalo Destroyers arena football team. He is working with Fred Jackson to bring the Destroyers back to the Indoor Football League after 22 years.
