Josh Johnson Bio
Joshua Javon Johnson (born May 15, 1986) is an American professional football quarterback for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League. Standing 6 ft 3 in and listed at 214 lb, he has been a member of 14 different NFL teams, the most in league history. Primarily a backup for most of his career, Johnson has started games for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Baltimore Ravens, and Washington Commanders while also seeing playing time with the Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, and San Francisco 49ers. Beyond the NFL, he has played in the United Football League and the XFL.
Early Life and Background
Early Life and Background
Johnson was born on May 15, 1986, in Oakland, California. He grew up in the city and attended Oakland Technical High School, where he lettered in football, basketball, and track and field. As a senior, he was named his team’s Most Improved Player, earned first-team All-City honors, and led Oakland Tech to the Oakland Athletic League Championship. During his high school years, Johnson was a teammate of his cousin, Marshawn Lynch, the future Pro Bowl running back.
Coming out of high school, Johnson was not heavily recruited by major college programs, but his athleticism stood out in combine-style testing. He enrolled at the University of San Diego in 2004, choosing a smaller program where he believed he would have a clearer path to the field.
Path to Professional Football
At the University of San Diego, Johnson played for the San Diego Toreros and quickly developed into one of the most productive passers in college football. After a 2004 redshirt year in which he served as a backup, he earned the starting job in 2005 and was named team MVP. He went on to win two Pioneer Football League championships in 2005 and 2006, earning PFL Offensive Player of the Year in both seasons and consensus Mid-Major champion honors.
His 2006 and 2007 junior and senior campaigns set the stage for a professional career. He was a three-time First-team All-PFL selection and a three-time I-AA All-American. Following his senior season, he played in the 2008 East–West Shrine Game in Houston, where he was named the game’s Offensive MVP. At the 2008 NFL Combine, he posted the best 40-yard dash time (4.53 seconds) and vertical jump among participating quarterbacks, helping push his name onto many NFL draft boards.
Josh Johnson Career
Early Career (2008–2011)
Johnson was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fifth round, 160th overall, of the 2008 NFL draft. He saw no playing time as a rookie before making his regular-season debut in Week 3 of the 2009 season against the New York Giants, replacing Byron Leftwich and recording his first career completion to Antonio Bryant. He was named the starter the following week against the Washington Redskins and threw his first career touchdown pass on his first attempt of that game.
Over the next three seasons in Tampa Bay, Johnson worked primarily as a backup behind Josh Freeman, though he started six games across 2009 and 2011. He finished his Buccaneers tenure with 1,142 passing yards, six touchdowns, and 10 interceptions while adding significant rushing production as a mobile quarterback.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Breakthrough (2009–2011)
Johnson’s first extended NFL opportunity came with the Buccaneers during the 2009 season. He made his debut in relief of Byron Leftwich against the New York Giants and was promoted to the starting role the following week. Although Tampa Bay lost that contest to the Washington Redskins, Johnson threw his first career touchdown pass on his opening throw of the game. Across four starts that season, he totaled 685 passing yards, four touchdowns, and eight interceptions while showcasing his dual-threat ability with 148 rushing yards.
He remained with Tampa Bay through 2011, splitting time as a backup and spot starter. A Week 13 start against the Carolina Panthers in 2010 produced 229 passing yards and a touchdown. By the time he departed the Buccaneers, Johnson had demonstrated the athleticism and arm strength that would define his journeyman career.
Journeyman Years (2012–2022)
After leaving Tampa Bay, Johnson signed a two-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers in March 2012, reuniting with former University of San Diego head coach Jim Harbaugh, but was released before the regular season. He joined the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League that fall and started two games before the league suspended operations. A late-season signing with the Cleveland Browns produced one snap against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the regular-season finale.
The 2013 season brought a stint with the Cincinnati Bengals, where Johnson appeared primarily on special teams. Over the next several years, he cycled through practice squads and short-term contracts with the 49ers, Bengals, New York Jets, Indianapolis Colts, Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, New York Giants, Houston Texans, and Oakland Raiders. He also had a brief assignment to the San Diego Fleet of the Alliance of American Football in 2018 before the league folded.
Johnson experienced his most significant NFL action in December 2018 after signing with the Washington Redskins as a backup to Mark Sanchez. He started three games, earning his first career win as a starter in Week 15 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and finished the season with 590 passing yards, three touchdowns, and 120 rushing yards. He later joined the Los Angeles Wildcats of the XFL in 2020, leading the league in passer rating with 11 touchdowns against two interceptions and earning Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded quarterback honor before the season ended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Stints with the Jets, Ravens, Denver Broncos, and 49ers followed from 2021 through 2023. He saw his first playoff action on January 29, 2023, relieving injured quarterback Brock Purdy in the NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles and completing 7 of 13 passes before exiting with a concussion.
Washington Commanders Era (2023–Present)
Following his release from the San Francisco 49ers, Johnson signed with the Baltimore Ravens in May 2023, serving as a third-string option behind Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley. He re-signed with the Ravens in March 2024 and saw limited late-game action in a Week 4 victory over the Buffalo Bills.
On April 11, 2025, Johnson signed a one-year contract to return to the Washington franchise, now known as the Washington Commanders. He was named the starter for the Week 17 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys and started again in the regular-season finale against the Philadelphia Eagles. In that finale, he threw for 131 yards and a touchdown while adding a rushing score, earning his second career win as a starter in a 24–17 road victory.
Driving Style and Strengths
Johnson is widely regarded as one of the most athletic quarterbacks of his era, a reputation forged by his elite 4.53-second 40-yard dash and top vertical jump at the 2008 NFL Combine. Throughout his career, he has offered teams a mobile, play-extending presence in the pocket, capable of creating offense with his legs when passing lanes close. His experience across multiple offensive systems has made him a reliable short-term starter and veteran mentor in quarterback rooms.
Notable Events and Milestones
Johnson holds the record for the most NFL teams played for in league history with 14, a testament to his longevity as a backup and emergency starter. He also holds the NCAA Division I record for highest career passer efficiency at 176.68, set during his time at the University of San Diego. His 2020 XFL season with the Los Angeles Wildcats, in which he posted an 11-to-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio, earned him the league’s highest quarterback grade from Pro Football Focus and the XFL passer rating title.
Josh Johnson Career Wins
Across his NFL career, Joshua Javon Johnson has accumulated two regular-season wins as a starting quarterback, both coming late in his journeyman journey. His first came in December 2018 with the Washington Redskins against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and his second arrived in the 2025 regular-season finale with the Washington Commanders against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Team Highlights
Johnson’s most productive professional seasons came in limited duty. With the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he started six games between 2009 and 2011. His top statistical outing came on Thursday Night Football in 2021 with the New York Jets, when he relieved an injured Mike White and threw for a career-high 317 yards and three touchdowns against the Indianapolis Colts.
In the XFL, he led the Los Angeles Wildcats with 1,076 passing yards and 11 touchdowns across four games in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. He was named the league’s top-graded quarterback by Pro Football Focus and led the XFL in passer rating.
Other Wins and Performances
Johnson earned two Pioneer Football League championships with the San Diego Toreros in 2005 and 2006, was a three-time First-team All-PFL selection, and a three-time I-AA All-American. He was named the Offensive MVP of the 2008 East–West Shrine Game following his senior season, completing 5 of 11 passes for 78 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 103 yards.
Josh Johnson Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Johnson’s most notable family connection is his cousin, Marshawn Lynch, the former Seattle Seahawks and Buffalo Bills running back. The two were teammates at Oakland Technical High School in Oakland, California, where Johnson played football, basketball, and track and field.
Personal Life
Joshua Javon Johnson was raised in Oakland, California, and has built his adult life around professional football. Public details about his immediate family, marital status, and children are not widely reported.
2025 Season Performance
Johnson signed a one-year contract with the Washington Commanders on April 11, 2025, returning to the organization where he had previously played as a member of the Washington Redskins. With starting quarterback Jayden Daniels missing time due to injury, Johnson was elevated into the starting lineup for Week 17 against the Dallas Cowboys, completing 15 of 23 passes for 198 yards in a 30–23 loss.
He also started the regular-season finale against the Philadelphia Eagles, throwing for 131 yards and a touchdown while adding a rushing touchdown in a 24–17 road victory that gave him his second career win as an NFL starter. He finished the 2025 season with 372 passing yards, one passing touchdown, and two interceptions to go along with 55 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown across two starts and five appearances.
Entering 2026, Johnson’s role with the Commanders remains that of an experienced veteran reserve capable of stepping into a starting role when needed. His record-setting longevity across 14 NFL franchises continues to set him apart as one of the most traveled quarterbacks in league history.