 Johnson with the Minnesota Vikings in 2008 | |||||||
| No. 11, 83 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Wide receiver | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born | (1984-07-10)July 10, 1984 (age 41) Gary, Indiana, U.S. | ||||||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||
| Weight | 176 lb (80 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school | William A. Wirt (Gary) | ||||||
| College | Jackson State | ||||||
| NFL draft | 2008: 6th round, 193rd overall pick | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
| |||||||
Jaymar Johnson (born July 10, 1984) is an American former professionalfootball player who was awide receiver in theNational Football League (NFL). He was selected by theMinnesota Vikings in the sixth round of the2008 NFL draft. He playedcollege football for theJackson State Tigers.
Johnson also played for theArizona Cardinals.
Johnson was born on July 10, 1984, inGary, Indiana. As a kid, he won sevenPop Warner trophies and his nickname was "Double-J".[1]
As a senior in high school he was named All-State, All-Area and All-Conference.[2]
As a teenager, Johnson left his aunt's home in Gary with his nephew (William M. Fields Jr.) and was caught in thecrossfire of a gun battle about 100 yards from his location.[3][4]
A few years later during a pickup basketball game, Johnson fled with his cousins and later discovered hist-shirt had been grazed by a bullet.[3][4]
Johnson attendedJackson State University and debuted for the Tigers againstAlabama State and future teammateTarvaris Jackson.[5] As a junior, he had a career-high 199 receiving yards againstSouthern.[5] During his last three seasons at Jackson State, Johnson started in every game.[5] He majored inhealth education at Jackson State.[5]
Johnson was selected by theMinnesota Vikings in the sixth round of the2008 NFL draft (193rd overall), through a pick acquired from tradingTroy Williamson to theJacksonville Jaguars.[6] He became the firstJackson State player to be drafted sinceSylvester Morris in the2000 NFL draft.[5] He was cut late during training camp but was re-signed to thepractice squad on September 1, 2008. He spent most of the year on the practice squad.[5] According to Vikingshead coachBrad Childress, during the 2009 offseason, Johnson put on 17 pounds getting up to 187 and is currently the hardest worker on the team.[7]
During the 2010 preseason, Johnson was placed on the Injured Reserve list, having broken his left thumb in the Week 1 preseason game against theSt. Louis Rams. The injury allowed the Vikings to re-register returning quarterbackBrett Favre to their 53-man roster.[8]
On September 2, 2011, he was waived by Minnesota.
TheArizona Cardinals signed him to their practice squad on September 20. He was promoted to the active roster on November 29. Johnson was waived on December 23, 2011. Johnson was added to thepractice squad on December 28, 2011. He was waived on August 25, 2012.
Johnson signed with theWinnipeg Blue Bombers of theCanadian Football League in April 2014.[9] Johnson was released from the team on June 20, 2014.[10]
His brother James playedcollege football atArkansas-Pine Bluff.[5] He is the youngest of eight children[5] and enjoys playing thesaxophone[5] and planned on joining the medical field following his college career.[5] His wife (Kassy Johnson) is a special education teacher atEden Prairie High School inMinneapolis, Minnesota.[7]
