Background and career
James Bradley Johnson (born September 13, 1968) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, Washington Redskins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Dallas Cowboys. He is best known for his time with the Buccaneers, whom he led to a win in Super Bowl XXXVII. Johnson played college football for the Florida State Seminoles and was selected in the ninth round of the 1992 NFL draft. He is also notable for being the first player in the NFL to complete a touchdown pass to himself, doing so in a 1997 game against the Carolina Panthers. He remained the only player to do so until Marcus Mariota repeated the feat in a 2018 postseason game.
Born in Marietta, Georgia, Brad Johnson attended Charles D. Owen High School in Black Mountain, North Carolina. At Owen High School, Johnson played football and basketball; he received All-American honors as quarterback on the football team and all-state honors as a member of the basketball team. After graduating from Owen High School in 1987, Johnson attended Florida State University. From 1987 to 1989, Johnson played on the Florida State Seminoles men's basketball team and started 11 games as a freshman. In 1988, Johnson joined the football team (under coach Bobby Bowden) at Florida State as a redshirt freshman and served as holder in every game and played two games as quarterback. In 1989 as a sophomore, Johnson was third-string quarterback behind Peter Tom Willis and Casey Weldon; Johnson completed 7 of 12 passes for 67 yards. Johnson won the 1990 Fiesta Bowl title with the Seminoles. As a junior in 1990, Johnson started the first six games of the season before being replaced by Weldon. With a 4–2 record starting those games, Johnson finished the 1990 season with 109-for-163 passing for a career-high 1,136 yards with 8 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. For the third consecutive season with Johnson, Florida State won a bowl game, the Blockbuster Bowl. Johnson would play nine games (with one start – a win) as a senior in 1991. On 37-for-61 passing for 462 yards, Johnson passed for 5 touchdowns and 3 interceptions, and Florida State won the Cotton Bowl Classic in 1992.
In the 1992 NFL draft, the Minnesota Vikings drafted Johnson in the ninth round as the 227th overall pick. As third-string quarterback behind starter Rich Gannon and backup Sean Salisbury, Johnson dressed for only one game as a rookie in 1992 but did not play. In 1993, Johnson continued to be the third-string quarterback for the first 10 games of the season and was inactive for the final six.
In 1994, Johnson became backup to starter Warren Moon and played his first NFL regular season game in Week 3 (September 18). The Vikings won 42–14 over the Chicago Bears in that game, and Johnson completed 3 of 3 passes for 16 yards. Johnson would play in three more games in 1994. In Week 8 (October 30), a 36–13 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Johnson completed 5 of 5 passes for 30 yards. Johnson had his first significant playing time in Week 15 (December 17), a 41–19 loss to the Detroit Lions. In that game, Johnson completed 14 of 29 passes for 104 yards.
In the spring of 1995, Johnson joined the London Monarchs of the World League, an American football league based in Europe. With London, Johnson completed 194 of 328 passes for 2,227 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. Johnson had the most completions of all World League quarterbacks in 1995. For his season with the Monarchs, Johnson earned £12,000. Back with the Minnesota Vikings in 1995, Johnson played five games that season. In a 44–24 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 4 (September 24), Johnson completed one 36-yard pass. However, Minnesota lost 38–21 to the Green Bay Packers in Week 7 (October 22), a game in which Johnson completed 10 of 17 passes for 94 yards and one interception. In that game, Johnson also rushed once for 3 yards. In Week 11 (November 19), Johnson completed 5 of 7 passes for 70 yards in the Vikings' 43–24 win over the New Orleans Saints. Johnson had 9-for-11 passing for 72 yards but one interception in Week 14 (December 9), and Minnesota defeated the Cleveland Browns 27–11.
Johnson started eight of twelve games in 1996. Twice, Johnson earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors, and he finished third in the NFC with an 89.4 passer rating. In the season opener against the Detroit Lions on September 1, Johnson played in the second half after starter Warren Moon suffered an ankle injury amid 5-for-14 passing. With 1:06 remaining in the fourth quarter, Johnson threw his first career touchdown pass, a 31-yard pass to Cris Carter that would clinch the 17–13 victory for Minnesota. Overall that game, Johnson completed 16 of 23 passes for 157 yards and rushed three times for 14 yards. Johnson started his first game of his career the following week on September 8 and led Minnesota to a 23–17 road win over the Atlanta Falcons. This victory marked the first time Minnesota started 2–0 since 1987. With 15-for-26 passing for 275 yards, Johnson threw for two touchdowns and one interception. Warren Moon would return as starter the following week. Johnson played again in Week 4 with one incomplete pass and saw significant playing time next in Week 8 (October 28), a 15–13 loss to the Chicago Bears. Again replacing an injured Warren Moon, Johnson completed 10 of 15 passes for 79 yards. In the final play of the game, Bryan Cox forced a fumble from Johnson. This was Johnson's only lost fumble of Johnson's five fumbles in 1996. Johnson started the next game in Week 9 (November 3), and the Vikings lost to the Kansas City Chiefs 21–6. With 22-for-42 passing, Johnson passed for 218 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions and rushed three times for 12 yards. In a backup role in Week 10 (November 10), a 42–23 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, Johnson completed 8 of 12 passes for 123 yards and 1 touchdown and ran twice for 3 yards. Starting Week 11 (November 17), Johnson became the regular starter for the Vikings after Moon was again injured. Johnson led Minnesota to a 4–2 record to end the season. With a Week 15 (December 15) victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 21–10, Minnesota clinched a playoff berth for the season. Johnson clinched the win for Minnesota with a 36-yard touchdown pass to Cris Carter, part of a 99-yard drive. Minnesota finished the regular season 9–7, second place in the NFC Central. Johnson made his postseason debut in the Vikings' NFC Wild Card game against the defending Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys on December 28, 1996. Minnesota lost to Dallas 40–15, as Johnson completed 15 of 27 passes for 208 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions and rushed 14 yards on three carries for one touchdown.
Sources
Net-worth figure: Celebrity Net Worth (October 2026), in USD. Biography and career facts: the person's Wikipedia article and linked reporting. Snapshot date for all StarWorth figures: 28 October 2026.
