Eric Johnson (defensive back, born 1976)
American football player (born 1976)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Eric Duane Johnson[1] (born April 30, 1976) is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers
Carson, California, U.S.
| Profile | |
|---|---|
| Position | Linebacker |
| Personal information | |
| Born | April 30, 1976 Carson, California, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Listed weight | 241 lb (109 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Nebraska |
| NFL draft | 2000: undrafted |
| Career history | |
| Awards and highlights | |
| Stats at Pro Football Reference | |
College career
Johnson played linebacker at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
Professional career
NFL
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | 215 lb (98 kg) | 31+1⁄4 in (0.79 m) | 10 in (0.25 m) | 4.48 s | 1.50 s | 2.59 s | 4.17 s | 6.96 s | 38.0 in (0.97 m) | 10 ft 1 in (3.07 m) | 12 reps | |
| All values from NFL Combine[2][3] | ||||||||||||
Johnson played linebacker for eight seasons (2000–2007) for the Oakland Raiders, the Atlanta Falcons, and the Arizona Cardinals, in the National Football League. Johnson is best known for blocking a punt and returning it for a touchdown in Super Bowl XXXVII, which the Raiders lost 48–21 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
AFL
Johnson was signed as a free agent by the Georgia Force on February 19, 2007. He was re-signed by the Force on June 2, 2009.
Human trafficking case
In February 2023, Johnson, along with seven other alleged gang members, were arrested in Gwinnett County, Georgia as part of what the Attorney General of Georgia called a "major human trafficking and gang case;" he pled guilty in August 2025 and was sentenced a month later to 10 years in prison followed by 10 years of strict probation.[1]
