NFL CAREER – Enters his sixth season with New Orleans following a three-year contract extension in March, Johnson looks to be a key piece of the passing game under new head coach and play-caller Kellen Moore. The former Penn State and Oregon wideout joined the Saints in 2020 following the NFL Draft and transitioned to tight end in his second season. In 2024, the New Jersey native had his most productive campaign as a pro, appearing in 17 games with five starts, finishing with career-highs in receptions (50) and receiving yards (team-leading 548) to go with three touchdown grabs.
CAREER TRANSACTIONS – Agreed to terms on three-year contract extension, 3/11/25; Agreed to terms on two-year contract extension, 3/11/23; Activated from Reserve/COVID-19, 12/28/21; Placed on Reserve/COVID-19, 12/21/21; Signed to active roster from practice squad, 12/19/20; Elevated to active roster, 12/12/20; Elevated to active roster, 12/5/20; Elevated to active roster, 10/31/20; Elevated to active roster, 10/24/20; Agreed to terms on practice squad contract, 9/6/20; Waived, 9/5/20; Agreed to terms as an undrafted free agent, 4/27/20.
2024 – Played in all 17 games with five starts, totaling career-highs with 50 receptions for a team-leading548 yards to go with three touchdowns…Caught two passes for 26 yards and a TD vs. Carolina, Sept. 8…Recorded three receptions for 48 yards vs. Tampa Bay, Oct. 13…Posted three receptions for 48 yards at L.A. Chargers, Oct. 27… Added two grabs for 41 yards at Carolina, Nov. 3…Caught three passes for 30 yards and a TD vs. Cleveland, Nov. 17…Recorded four receptions for 50 yards and a score at N.Y. Giants, Dec. 8…Added six grabs for 66 yards vs. Las Vegas, Dec. 29… Caught six passes for a season-high 80 yards at Tampa Bay, 1/5/25. 2023 – Played in 13 games with 11 starts, hauling in 37 receptions for 359 yards and four touchdown grabs. Also had one miscellaneous fumble recovery…Vs. Tennessee, Sept. 10, started, catching three passes for 36 yards…missed four games with a calf injury (Weeks Four-Seven)…Vs. Chicago, Nov. 5, started and finished with five receptions for 29 yards and a TD…Vs. N.Y. Giants, Dec. 17, rotated in on offense and special teams. Finished with two receptions for 38 yards and a TD…At L.A. Rams, Dec. 21, started and played on special teams, finishing with four receptions for 48 yards and a TD…At Tampa Bay Dec. 31, started and saw action on special teams. Had a career day on offense, leading the team in receiving with eight receptions for 90 yards and a TD, including a season-long 32-yard reception, third straight game with a TD…Vs. Atlanta, 1/7/24, started and saw action on special teams in 50th career NFL game. Finished with three catches for 40 yards. 2022 – Played in 16 games with 12 starts, finishing with 42 receptions for 508 yards and a team-best seven touchdown grabs, which was tied for third among NFL tight ends. Added one special teams tackle…At Atlanta, Sept. 11, recorded two catches for 43 yards…Vs. Tampa Bay, Sept. 18, recorded four catches for 40 yards…At Carolina, Sept. 25, started and played on special teams, recording a tackle…Vs. Minnesota (London), Oct. 2, played on offense and special teams and caught three passes for 33 yards…Vs. Seattle, Oct. 9, saw time on offense and special teams and had a 13-yard catch…Vs. Cincinnati, Oct. 16, started and played on special teams and caught four passes for 41 yards…At Arizona, Oct. 20, started and saw action on special teams and caught five passes for 32 yards and a career-best tying two TD grabs…Vs. Las Vegas, Oct. 30, started and played on special teams and had two receptions for 14 yards…Vs. Baltimore, Nov. 7, started and played on special teams and finished with two receptions for 42 yards, including a career-long 41-yard scoring grab…At Pittsburgh, Nov. 13, started and played on special teams and finished with five receptions for 44 yards with a 15-yard TD…Vs. L.A. Rams, Nov. 20, started in three-tight end set and saw action on special teams and caught three passes for 47 yards with one TD to set a career-high for scoring grabs (team-best five)...At San Francisco, Nov. 27, started and saw action on special teams…Vs. Atlanta, Dec. 18, started and led team in receiving, hauling in four passes for a 67 yards with two TDs. The two scores marked his second multi-touchdown game of season and third of career…At Philadelphia, 1/1/23, started and finished with five receptions for 62 yards…In season finale vs. Carolina, 1/8/23, started and finished with a 21-yard reception. 2021 – Appeared in 14 games with two starts and finished with 13 receptions for 159 yards (12.2 avg.) and four touchdown grabs…In season opener vs. Green Bay, Sept. 12 (played in Jacksonville, Fla. due to Hurricane Ida), caught three passes for 21 yards and recorded his first two NFL touchdowns, helping the Saints defeat the Packers 38-3…At Carolina, Sept. 19, recorded a 23-yard reception…Vs. N.Y. Giants, Oct. 3, had two receptions for 20 yards with one TD…Vs. Tampa Bay, Oct. 31, made first career start at TE…At Tennessee, Nov. 14, caught two passes for 36 yards…Vs. Dallas, Dec. 12, had a 27-yard catch…At Atlanta 1/9/22, caught a five-yard TD. 2020 – Played in seven games with four starts in rookie campaign at WR...Totaled four receptions for 39 yards (9.8 avg)…Made his NFL debut, starting and playing on special teams vs. Carolina, Oct. 25...At Chicago, Nov. 1, caught his first career reception, a five-yard grab from QB Drew Brees...Recorded a key first-down pickup from Taysom Hill to bring the football to the Eagles 39-yard line on a 11-yard reception on a touchdown drive at Philadelphia, Dec. 13…Contributed on offense and special teams and caught a pass for a 19-yard gain from Brees vs. Minnesota, Dec. 25.
COLLEGE – Played as a graduate transfer at Oregon in 2019 after playing at Penn State from 2016-18…In four college seasons, played in 47 games and recorded 111 receptions for 1,590 yards and six touchdowns…In 2019, played in the final ten games for the Ducks after missing the first four with a calf injury and recorded 30 receptions for 467 yards (15.6 avg.) and four TDs, finishing second on the team with eight grabs over 20 yards…As a Penn State junior in 2018, played in ten games and made seven starts, finishing with 25 catches for 352 yards and a TD…As a sophomore, started all 13 games and finished seventh in Big Ten in receptions (54) and receiving yards (701)…As redshirt freshman in 2016, appeared in all 14 games, primarily on special teams and ranked second on team with nine coverage stops, including eight on kickoff return, one blocked punt and added two receptions for 70 yards…Graduated in 2018 with a bachelor's degree in telecommunications.
