Key Highlights
- He was initially with the team for the 2018 season and was signed to a one-year deal ahead of the 2025 season.
- Johnson spent most of the season as the third-string quarterback, but with injuries to both Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota, he started his first game under center since 2021, when he was with the Baltimore Ravens. MORE: NFL odds, lines, point spreads: Updated Week 14 betting information for picking every gameStill, it doesn't do anything to diminish the incredible nature of Johnson's longevity in the league.
- Even if he hasn't impacted the game as a starter, his career arc is worth noting. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWith that, The Sporting News looks at Johnson's curious career in the NFL, which has seen him take on roles as a practice squad member, career backup and, more rarely, a starting quarterback:Josh Johnson NFL DraftJohnson was a fifth-round selection in the 2008 NFL Draft, getting selected 160th overall by the Buccaneers following a four-year career at the University of San Diego, where he completed 724 of 1,065 passes (68 percent) for 9,699 yards and 113 touchdowns to 15 interceptions. Those stats, combined with an impressive showing at the 2008 NFL Combine — where he posted positional bests in both the 40-yard dash (4.53 seconds) and vertical jump (33 1/2 inches) — made him a viable draft target for several teams. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementTampa Bay's selection of the Toreros quarterback was part of a trade that sent its 153rd overall pick to New England for the Patriots' 160th and 238th overall picks. With that, the Bucs set in motion an NFL career that no one saw coming.
- Johnson played for four seasons in Tampa Bay before going on one of the most incredible tours in the history of the league. MORE: NFL playoff picture: Projecting the seeds & matchups for AFC, NFC brackets in Week 14How many teams has Josh Johnson played for?Johnson has played for 15 teams in his 16-year NFL career, including several stints as a practice-squad member. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHis longest continuous stint with a single team came with the franchise that drafted him: Four seasons with the Buccaneers, from 2008 through 2011.
- The team for which he has played the most times is San Francisco, which has signed him four separate times, in 2012, 2014, 2020-21 and 2022. Johnson has seen action in 32 career NFL games, starting nine.