Bethel Johnson

Bethel Johnson (born February 11, 1979) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the New England Patriots in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football for Texas A&M Aggies.

Bethel Johnson
No. 81
Position:Wide receiver
Kick returner
Personal information
Born: (1979-02-11) February 11, 1979
Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Height:5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight:200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
High school:Corsicana (TX)
College:Texas A&M
NFL Draft:2003 / Round: 2 / Pick: 45
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Receptions:39
Receiving yards:606
Receiving touchdowns:4
Total return yards:3,632
Total return touchdowns:2
Player stats at NFL.com

Johnson earned two Super Bowl rings with the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVIII and Super Bowl XXXIX. He has also been a member of the New Orleans Saints, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, Houston Texans and Toronto Argonauts.

Early years

Johnson attended Corsicana High School in Corsicana, Texas and as a senior, he led his team to the Class 4A state title game, and made 44 receptions for 1495 yards and 17 receiving touchdowns.

College career

Johnson attended Texas A&M University, and finished his college football career with 117 receptions for 1740 yards (14.9 yards per reception), and 11 receiving touchdowns. His 117 receptions and 1740 receiving yards both rank second in school career records.[1][2]

  • Sophomore - 27 catches for 514 yards and 3 TD.
  • Junior - 42 catches for 440 yards and 0 TD.
  • Redshirt Senior - 40 catches for 718 yards and 8 TD. He also averaged 21 yards per KR and 11.6 yards per PR.

Professional career
Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand span40-yard dash10-yard split20-yard splitVertical jumpBroad jump
5 ft 11 in
(1.80 m)		 201 lb
(91 kg)		 31+1⁄4 in
(0.79 m)		 8+1⁄2 in
(0.22 m)		4.42 s1.55 s2.60 s38+1⁄2 in
(0.98 m)		10 ft 7 in
(3.23 m)
All values from NFL Combine.[3]

New England Patriots

Johnson was drafted 45th overall in the 2003 NFL Draft.[4] In his rookie season, ranked second in the NFL with a 28.2 yards per kickoff return average, returning 30 kickoffs for 847 yards and a touchdown, while also catching 16 passes for 209 yards and 2 scores. In 2003 and 2004 he won the Super Bowl with the New England Patriots.

New Orleans Saints

He was traded to the Saints on June 5, 2006 for defensive tackle Johnathan Sullivan, who was drafted sixth overall by the Saints in 2003. Saints coach, Sean Payton, questioned Johnson's "conditioning, his stamina and endurance" during the preseason.[5]

Johnson was cut from the Saints before the 2006 regular season began after injuring his knee in a preseason game.

Minnesota Vikings

Johnson was then signed by the Minnesota Vikings on October 10, 2006.[6] He appeared in 11 games with two starts for the Vikings that season, catching nine passes for 156 yards. He became a free agent in the 2007 offseason.

Philadelphia Eagles

On March 8, 2007, he signed a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles. He was released on June 5, after he failed a physical.[7]

Houston Texans

On July 9, 2007, Johnson signed with the Houston Texans. However, he was released on August 31, during final cuts and spent the rest of the season out of football.

Toronto Argonauts

On May 26, 2008, Johnson was signed by the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League.[8][9] He was released on September 30, due to his lack of progress; ranking just seventh on the team in receiving with 16 catches for 189 yards and no touchdowns.[10]

References
  1. "Most Receiving Yards - Career". Texas A&M Athletics.
  2. "Most Receptions - Career". Texas A&M Athletics.
  3. "Bethel Johnson, Texas A&M, WR, 2003 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football". draftscout.com.
  4. "2003 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  5. HOME - TwinCities.com
  6. Reiss, Mike (September 5, 2006). "He's ready for some football". The Boston Globe.
  7. Schefter, Adam (June 5, 2007). "Samuel holding out for a new deal with Pats". NFL.com. Archived from the original on July 7, 2007. Retrieved June 7, 2008. The Eagles cut wide receiver/kick returner Bethel Johnson after he failed his physical.
  8. "Argonauts add former NFLer Bethel Johnson". CBC Sports. May 26, 2008. Retrieved October 1, 2008.
  9. Zelkovich, Chris (June 23, 2008). "Johnson looking to start over with Argos". Toronto Star. Retrieved June 23, 2008.
  10. Fitz-Gerald, Sean (September 30, 2008). "Johnson cut as Argos continue reworking roster". National Post. Retrieved October 1, 2008.
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