Tough-minded and uncompromising, few coaches bring more drive or passion to their profession than Curtis Johnson, and the Saints have been rewarded with outstanding results from the wide receiver corps since his arrival in 2006. He came to New Orleans after forging a reputation for developing top-flight targets on the college level for over two decades, and his stature has only grown on the NFL level.

Over the last three seasons, Johnson has worked with both veteran and young wide receivers, with all benefitting from his guidance. Last season, Lance Moore was the latest player to emerge as a key contributor. Through his own dedication and under Johnson’s tutelage, Moore has gone from the practice squad in 2006 to the Saints’ reception leader last year with 79 catches for 928 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Johnson’s high-energy teaching style has also advanced the career of Marques Colston, who has gone from being the fourth-to-last player selected in the 2006 NFL Draft to posting 215 receptions for 3,000 yards and 24 TDs. From 2006-07, Colston had 168 grabs – more than any player in NFL history for a player in his first two seasons.

With a coaching style that is intense and detail-oriented, Johnson’s group of wideouts have combined for 65 touchdown grabs and 24 performances with over 100 yards receiving since 2006.

Entering his fourth year of his initial NFL assignment, few coaches at any level can match the wide receivers that Johnson has helped develop. The group of standouts under his direction while at Miami and his prior stop at San Diego State includes some of the top wide receivers over the last decade, including NFL first-round picks Andre Johnson, Santana Moss, Reggie Wayne, Yatil Green and Darnay Scott.

At Miami, Johnson was part of a staff that went to nine bowl games and won the 2001 National Championship. He polished the skills of at least one All-Big East performer each season from 1996-2005, including Johnson – the third overall pick by Houston in 2003 – and Moss, who became the Hurricanes’ all-time leader in receiving yardage before making the Pro Bowl for Washington. Wayne departed ranked first in school history in catches is a Pro Bowl performer for Indianapolis.

In his five-year stint at San Diego State (1989-93) Johnson landed some of the school’s biggest recruits, including 2000 NFL MVP and fellow New Orleans native Marshall Faulk as well as Scott, who completed his eight-year NFL career with 408 grabs and 37 TDs. Each year Johnson was with the Aztecs the school had an all-conference performer at wide receiver.

Johnson began his coaching career as a receivers coach at Lewiston (Idaho) High School in 1984, serving for three seasons before holding a similar position at the University of Idaho. He spent 1987 and 1988 at the school before becoming receivers coach at San Diego State. His next stop was at Southern Methodist in 1994 before becoming wide receivers coach in 1995 at the University of California.

Johnson attended the University of Idaho and graduated in Physical Education in 1985. Born in New Orleans and a graduate of St. Charles High School, Johnson and his wife, Angel, have six children, Janene, Kiejon, Curtis III, and Aaron, Angele and Justin.