Of course, he took in plenty of football games from the TV while yearning to be on the field. But Johnson also watched “hockey, baseball, all of it” while recovering.
“[I was] never into hockey before. But I’m from Colorado, and now that the Avs (Avalanche) are doing good, I’m full game on that. I mean, the Wild were in it, I was full game on them,” he said. “I’ve never watched hockey in my life, really, like that, but I went to like three games this past season, and I guess I’m an NHL fan now.”
As difficult as it was to miss an entire season, Johnson has rediscovered a passion for football he hadn’t realized had dimmed.
“You get kind of stagnant, you know? You’re going through the same motions – you’re going to work every day. You’ve been practicing every Monday through Friday the last three years I’ve been in the league,” he said. “You know, as much as I still loved it, I probably lost it a little. And then I sat out a year and I’m like, ‘Damn. I really missed this.’
“I really missed football, being out there on the field with my teammates. Making plays, scoring touchdowns,” Johnson added. “I mean, that’s what it’s all about – and it’s not fun to sit on the sideline injured.”