Eric Johnson
No. 82
Position:Tight end
Personal information
Born: (1979-09-15) September 15, 1979 (age 44)
Needham, Massachusetts, U.S.
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:252 lb (114 kg)
Career information
High school:Needham (MA)
College:Yale
NFL draft:2001 / Round: 7 / Pick: 224
Career history
Career NFL statistics
Receptions:240
Receiving yards:2,178
Receiving touchdowns:9
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

Eric Maxwell Johnson (born September 15, 1979)[1] is a former American football tight end in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the seventh round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Yale.

High school and college career

Johnson was born in Needham, Massachusetts. He attended Needham High School and Belmont Hill School in Massachusetts. He went on to Yale University, where he played wide receiver. He caught 21 receptions for 244 yards in Yale's come-from-behind victory against Harvard in the 1999 Harvard-Yale Game, including the game-winning touchdown catch.[2]

Professional career

Johnson was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the seventh round of the 2001 NFL Draft.[3] When healthy, he was a contributor to the 49ers passing game. However, he missed all of 2003 with an injury and missed all of 2005 with an injury as well. In 2004, he led the 49ers in receiving with 82 catches for 825 yards and two touchdowns. During the 2006 season, Johnson split time with tight end Vernon Davis, the team's first-round draft pick.[1]

Johnson signed a one-year contract with the New Orleans Saints in 2007. He was re-signed by the team on March 14, 2008. On July 31, 2008, the Saints released him.[1]

NFL career statistics

Legend
Bold Career high

Regular season

Year Team Games Receiving
GP GS Tgt Rec Yds Avg Lng TD
2001 SFO 16 14 64 40 362 9.1 24 3
2002 SFO 12 10 65 36 321 8.9 38 0
2004 SFO 16 14 117 82 825 10.1 25 2
2006 SFO 13 9 49 34 292 8.6 26 2
2007 NOR 14 12 63 48 378 7.9 22 2
71 59 358 240 2,178 9.1 38 9

Playoffs

Year Team Games Receiving
GP GS Tgt Rec Yds Avg Lng TD
2001 SFO 1 1 5 4 36 9.0 13 0
2002 SFO 2 2 16 10 85 8.5 25 0
3 3 21 14 121 8.6 25 0

Personal life

Johnson was married to stylist Keri Johnson whom he officially divorced in 2010. He began dating singer and actress Jessica Simpson in January 2010.[4] They announced their engagement that November.[5] The couple married on July 5, 2014 at the San Ysidro Ranch, in Montecito, Santa Barbara County, California.[6] They have three children: a daughter named Maxwell Drew Johnson, son named Ace Knute Johnson and another daughter named Birdie Mae Johnson.[7][8][9]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Eric Johnson". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved September 2, 2013.
  2. ^ THE GAME: "Yale vs. Harvard, Highlights from the Series" New Haven Register, November 19, 2011. Retrieved June 21, 2014.
  3. ^ "2001 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  4. ^ Dyball, Rennie; Baker, K.C. (July 5, 2010). "Jessica Simpson Dating Ex-NFL Player". People. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
  5. ^ Silverman, Stephen M. (November 14, 2010). "Jessica Simpson Engaged to Eric Johnson". People. Retrieved November 14, 2010.
  6. ^ "Jessica Simpson walks six miles a day to get a Toned Body before Marriage". IANS. news.biharprabha.com. Retrieved May 30, 2014.
  7. ^ "It's a Girl for Jessica Simpson!". People. May 1, 2012. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  8. ^ Coleman, Miriam (June 30, 2013). "Jessica Simpson Gives Birth to Baby Boy". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
  9. ^ "Jessica Simpson welcomes new daughter". CNN. March 20, 2019.
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