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Ted Johnson
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Ted Curtis Johnson[1] (born December 4, 1972) is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He grew up in Carlsbad, California where he graduated from Carlsbad High School in 1991. He played college football for the Colorado Buffaloes and was selected by the Patriots in the second round of the 1995 NFL draft with the 57th overall pick.[2]
Key Information
Playing career
[edit]| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 3+3⁄8 in (1.91 m) |
248 lb (112 kg) |
32+1⁄2 in (0.83 m) |
9+1⁄4 in (0.23 m) |
4.84 s | 1.66 s | 2.78 s | 4.35 s | 31.5 in (0.80 m) |
10 ft 1 in (3.07 m) |
28 reps | ||
| All values from NFL Combine[3] | ||||||||||||
In his ten-year professional career, Johnson played in 125 regular season games and recorded 763 tackles, 11.5 sacks, one interception, 16 passes defensed, six forced fumbles, and seven fumble recoveries. He was noted for his ability to generate many tackles and for his smart play at the linebacker position. He also was able to make an impact for the Patriots without tackling the ballcarrier, as former Fox Network analyst and NFL player Matt Millen states, "What you didn't see is Ted Johnson stoning the guard, getting off the guard, taking on the fullback and freeing up (Todd) Collins to make the tackle. That play does not get made except for Ted Johnson."[4]
Johnson retired before the 2005 NFL season after sustaining many documented and undocumented concussions during his career.
Career statistics
[edit]| Year | Team | GP | Tackles | Fumbles | Interceptions | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Comb | Solo | Ast | Sack | STF | FF | FR | Yds | Int | Yds | Avg | Long | TD | PD | |||
| 1995 | NE | 12 | 71 | 41 | 30 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1996 | NE | 16 | 114 | 86 | 28 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 1997 | NE | 16 | 127 | 95 | 32 | 4.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1998 | NE | 13 | 95 | 65 | 30 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 1999 | NE | 5 | 38 | 25 | 13 | 2.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000 | NE | 13 | 73 | 50 | 23 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2001 | NE | 12 | 45 | 32 | 13 | 0.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2002 | NE | 14 | 96 | 62 | 34 | 1.5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2003 | NE | 8 | 21 | 15 | 6 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | NE | 16 | 77 | 55 | 22 | 1.0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | Total | 125 | 757 | 526 | 231 | 11.5 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
Post-playing career
[edit]In an interview with USA Today in 2005, Johnson indicated he would know the opposing team's private signals or audibles prior to the game in order to have a competitive advantage. He claims that he never knew the source of the confidential information.[6]
Every now and then I'd get a sheet, one hour before the game, with a list of audibles for our opponent. I don't know how, but they just showed up."
— Ted Johnson (November 2005), [7]
On February 1, 2007, Johnson told the New York Times that he suffers from amphetamine addiction, depression and headaches related to post-concussion syndrome and Second Impact Syndrome. He placed some blame on his former coach Bill Belichick for pressuring him to participate in full contact practice drills three days after suffering a concussion in an exhibition game against the New York Giants in August 2002. Johnson reported that during the drills, he suffered a second concussion, and he argues that Belichick asked him to participate against the advice of the team's head trainer. Belichick denies these allegations.[8] Some thought Johnson's revelation was suspect based upon a December 20, 2006 column in the Boston Herald where columnist Michael Felger said Johnson told him that he would have considered playing for the Patriots in 2006 had they asked (in the wake of a season-ending injury to linebacker Junior Seau).[9] However, in a February 14, 2007 interview on the Dennis and Callahan Show on WEEI, Johnson claimed he wasn't being serious when he said that, and in fact stated he said it sarcastically. [10][11]
On January 28, 2009, he discussed his problems with concussions sustained during his pro football career and the impact it had on his life in a CNN article. He indicated he was very inactive for two years following his retirement, barely leaving the house, and described those as bad days. He described himself as still occasionally suffering from anger, depression, and throbbing headaches. The implication was that he had since improved; however, no details were provided.
Personal
[edit]Johnson served as an adjunct professor for two years at Suffolk University in the Boston area.[12] In 1984, Ted Johnson Sr., his father, and Sylvia Johnson, his stepmother, opened The Original Rib Tickler barbecue restaurant in Tomball, TX.[13] He currently resides in Massachusetts with his longtime girlfriend.
Sports radio
[edit]Johnson spent the 2005 season as a football analyst for Boston television station WBZ-TV, but resigned from the station in 2006.
Johnson served as a co-host of "The Triple Threat" afternoon show on KILT (SportsRadio 610) in Houston. During his radio sports talk show on March 21, 2013, he was asked who was the ugliest wife in the NFL. He named Bianca Wilfork, wife of his former teammate Vince Wilfork. After receiving widespread criticism for his comment, including from Wilfork, Johnson issued an apology.[14][15] Johnson left the Triple Threat and SportsRadio 610 in summer 2018 to return to the northeastern US.[12]
In December 2018, 98.5 The Sports Hub in Boston hired Johnson.
In January 2025, WEEI hired Johnson to serve as a new co-host for their afternoon-drive show.
References
[edit]- ^ "Top South Florida News, Sports, Weather and Entertainment - South Florida Sun-Sentinel". Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
- ^ "1995 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
- ^ "Ted Johnson, Combine Results, ILB - Colorado". nflcombineresults.com. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
- ^ "Pats' Johnson Solid up the Middle". Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
- ^ "Ted Johnson Stats". ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
- ^ "NFL czars: Spygate is 'yesterday's news'". USA Today.
- ^ "'Spygate' lingers even with closure". USA Today.
- ^ "'I don't want anyone to end up like me' - The Boston Globe". www.boston.com.
- ^ Allen, Bruce (February 2, 2007). "Ted Johnson's Downward Spiral".
- ^ "WEEI Dennis and Callahan audio vault". WEEI (AM). February 14, 2007. Retrieved February 14, 2007.
- ^ "Ted Johnson making himself heard on radio - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com.
- ^ a b "Ted Johnson". www.cbsnews.com. Archived from the original on May 17, 2013.
- ^ "Rib Tickler".
- ^ Uribarri, Jaime (March 22, 2013). "Ted Johnson calls Bianca Wilfork, spouse of former New England Patriots teammate Vince Wilfork, the ugliest wife in the NFL". New York Daily News. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
- ^ "Ex-Pat sorry for calling Wilfork's wife ugliest". ESPN.com. March 22, 2013.
Ted Johnson
View on GrokipediaEarly life and education
Childhood and high school
Ted Curtis Johnson was born on December 4, 1972, in Alameda, California.[1] He grew up in Carlsbad, California, in an unstable family environment marked by trauma and anger, which later influenced his intense commitment to football as an outlet.[11] His father, a football enthusiast, introduced him to the sport early by taking him to Houston Oilers games, fostering an early passion amid a household where athletics became a critical focus for personal drive.[12] Johnson attended Carlsbad High School, graduating in 1991, where he joined the football team and developed his skills as a linebacker.[1][13] Standing at 6-foot-4 with a sturdy build inherited from his maternal grandfather, he honed a physical playing style through contact sports starting in his youth, emphasizing hard hits that would characterize his career.[13] His high school experience laid the groundwork for his recruitment to college football, though specific all-conference honors from that period are not widely documented in primary athletic records.[14]College career at Colorado
Johnson attended the University of Colorado Boulder from 1991 to 1994, where he played as an inside linebacker for the Colorado Buffaloes under head coach Bill McCartney.[13][15] During his four years as a starter, he grew physically into a 6-foot-4, 240-pound defender, contributing to the team's defensive efforts in the Big Eight Conference.[13][16] Johnson demonstrated strong tackling ability, recording multiple high-tackle games, including two performances with 20 tackles.[17] In 1993, he led the Buffaloes with 131 tackles.[18] The following year, he topped the Big Eight Conference in tackles with 147, earning third-team All-American recognition.[17][16] He also intercepted three passes in 1991, ranking tenth in the conference.[19] These performances highlighted his instincts and physicality as a run-stopper, qualities that distinguished him among conference linebackers.[20] McCartney praised Johnson's complete skill set, noting his recruitment in 1990 and development into a reliable defender capable of impacting both run and pass defenses.[13] While specific injury details from his college tenure are limited in records, Johnson's consistent starting role and statistical output underscored his durability and leadership on a defense that competed in bowl games during his era.[21]Professional football career
NFL draft and rookie years
The New England Patriots selected Ted Johnson in the second round (57th overall) of the 1995 NFL Draft.[1] He signed a rookie contract with the team on July 18, 1995, joining a squad in the midst of rebuilding efforts under head coach Bill Parcells, who had assumed control in 1993 to revitalize the franchise's defense and overall competitiveness.[22] In his rookie season of 1995, Johnson appeared in 12 games, starting all of them at inside linebacker despite missing four contests due to a sprained knee injury.[1][23] He recorded 69 combined tackles (41 solo, 28 assisted), 0.5 sacks, and no interceptions, contributing primarily as a run-stopper and coverage defender in Parcells' aggressive 3-4 scheme.[1] Johnson's development continued in 1996, his first full season without major injury, where he started all 16 games and led the Patriots in tackles with 115 (87 solo, 28 assisted) while securing his first career interception against the San Diego Chargers on December 1.[1][24] Under Parcells' continued guidance, he demonstrated growing versatility in both run defense and pass coverage, helping anchor a unit that propelled New England to Super Bowl XXXI. In 1997, following Parcells' departure and the arrival of head coach Pete Carroll, Johnson adapted to new defensive coordinator Tim Bowens' adjustments, again leading the team in tackles with a career-high 127 (95 solo, 32 assisted) and adding 4 sacks across 16 starts.[1][25][26]New England Patriots tenure
Johnson was selected by the New England Patriots in the second round (57th overall) of the 1995 NFL Draft and established himself as a starting inside linebacker during his decade-long tenure with the team through the 2004 season.[1] Under head coach Bill Belichick, who assumed control in 2000, Johnson emerged as a core defensive leader alongside quarterback Tom Brady, contributing to the Patriots' transformation into a perennial contender.[23] He served as a defensive captain for three seasons, providing veteran stability to a unit that emphasized disciplined, gap-sound play.[13][27] Johnson played integral roles in the Patriots' three Super Bowl victories during this era: Super Bowl XXXVI following the 2001 season, where the defense limited the high-octane St. Louis Rams offense to three points in a 20-17 upset win; Super Bowl XXXVIII after the 2003 season; and Super Bowl XXXIX after the 2004 season.[13][28] His contributions included key stops in playoff games against potent passing attacks, helping the Patriots advance through the postseason with a bend-but-don't-break defensive approach that prioritized run defense and coverage integrity.[29] Renowned for his ferocious and physical tackling technique, Johnson exemplified the aggressive style that defined the Patriots' defenses under Belichick, often delivering high-impact hits that disrupted opposing ball carriers and contributed to the team's improved rankings in points allowed during championship runs.[30][31] This hard-nosed approach, while effective in generating tackles for loss and forcing turnovers in critical moments, aligned with the era's emphasis on relentless pursuit across all three levels of the defense.[32]Career achievements and statistics
Over his 10-season NFL career exclusively with the New England Patriots from 1995 to 2004, Ted Johnson recorded 757 total tackles (526 solo, 231 assisted), 11.5 sacks, 1 interception, 7 fumble recoveries, and 17 passes defended in 125 regular-season games, starting 108 of them.[3][1] In the postseason, he contributed 62 tackles and 2.5 sacks across 14 games, including appearances in four Super Bowls.[1] His peak performance came in 1997 with 127 combined tackles and 4 sacks, followed by 114 tackles in 1996.[3]| Category | Regular Season | Postseason | Career Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Games Played | 125 | 14 | 139 |
| Total Tackles | 757 | 62 | 819 |
| Sacks | 11.5 | 2.5 | 14.0 |
| Interceptions | 1 | 0 | 1 |
