If this is the end of Brad Johnson’s NFL career, he is OK with that.
In the cool of a spring night after playing 36 holes of golf in a charity tournament that bears his name, Johnson seemed content as he talked about life after football, a sport he has played for all but four or five of his 40 years. An off-season usually spent preparing for another season as an NFL quarterback is now occupied with making sure the kids get to school and helping coach his children’s athletic teams. After being in the league since 1992, Johnson was released in February from his job as a reserve with the Dallas Cowboys. Uncertain if he wants to play anymore, the former Owen High standout is not pursuing jobs and doesn’t want his agent calling teams. If someone calls with an offer, he will listen and decide if it’s a viable option, but he doesn’t sound like a guy chasing employment. “I’m OK with that because it’s out of my control,” he said last week at the Brad Johnson Celebrity Golf Classic, an annual event at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove that raises funds for Eblen-Kimmel Charities.
“If (a NFL team) called me today, I would say no,” said Johnson, who will turn 41 on Sept. 13. “If someone would call around training camp or later in the fall, I would entertain it.