Jarrod Johnson
Encyclopedia
Jarrod Godette Johnson is a former professional American football
player who played in the National Football League
for the Pittsburgh Steelers
and San Diego Chargers
, as well as for the Sacramento Surge
of the World League of American Football
, with whom he won the World Bowl
in 1992.
The son of Goine and Betty Johnson, he was raised in East Orange, New Jersey
. Despite weighing only 143 pounds, his football coaches at Seton Hall Preparatory School
in West Orange, New Jersey
had him play center. While Johnson had always wanted to play linebacker, the 100 pounds that he added to his frame while in high school helped him grow into the position. He was on the basketball team at Seton Hall Prep, playing power forward position by his senior year.
Johnson attended Lehigh University
, earning the starting role as center during his junior year and graduated with a degree in economics. Though bypassed in the 1991 NFL Draft
, he signed as a free agent with the Pittsburgh Steelers
, a team that he had rooted for in his youth.
Johnson played 10 games with the Sacramento Surge
in 1992, as part of the team that won that years World Bowl
. Johnson went into training camp with the San Diego Chargers
in 1992, but ended up requiring surgery on his knee.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player who played in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
for the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
and San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, as well as for the Sacramento Surge
Sacramento Surge
The Sacramento Surge was a professional American football team that played in the World League of American Football in 1991 and 1992. The team played its first season at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento, and the second season in Hornet Stadium on the Sacramento State University campus. It was owned...
of the World League of American Football
World League of American Football
The World League of American Football was founded in 1990 with support from the National Football League to play professional American football in North America, Europe and later possibly Asia...
, with whom he won the World Bowl
World Bowl
The World Bowl was the American football Championship game of NFL Europe, similar to the Super Bowl of the National Football League.The World Bowl trophy itself was a globe made of glass measuring 35.5 cm in diameter and weighing 18.6 kg .-World League of American Football:When NFL Europe was...
in 1992.
The son of Goine and Betty Johnson, he was raised in East Orange, New Jersey
East Orange, New Jersey
East Orange is a city in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census the city's population 64,270, making it the state's 20th largest municipality, having dropped 5,554 residents from its population of 69,824 in the 2000 Census, when it was the state's 14th most...
. Despite weighing only 143 pounds, his football coaches at Seton Hall Preparatory School
Seton Hall Preparatory School
Seton Hall Preparatory School, generally called Seton Hall Prep, is a Roman Catholic boys' high school located in the suburban community of West Orange in Essex County, New Jersey, operating under the supervision of the Archdiocese of Newark...
in West Orange, New Jersey
West Orange, New Jersey
West Orange is a township in central Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 46,207...
had him play center. While Johnson had always wanted to play linebacker, the 100 pounds that he added to his frame while in high school helped him grow into the position. He was on the basketball team at Seton Hall Prep, playing power forward position by his senior year.
Johnson attended Lehigh University
Lehigh University
Lehigh University is a private, co-educational university located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of the United States. It was established in 1865 by Asa Packer as a four-year technical school, but has grown to include studies in a wide variety of disciplines...
, earning the starting role as center during his junior year and graduated with a degree in economics. Though bypassed in the 1991 NFL Draft
1991 NFL Draft
The 1991 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 21–22, 1991 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Manhattan, New York...
, he signed as a free agent with the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
, a team that he had rooted for in his youth.
Johnson played 10 games with the Sacramento Surge
Sacramento Surge
The Sacramento Surge was a professional American football team that played in the World League of American Football in 1991 and 1992. The team played its first season at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento, and the second season in Hornet Stadium on the Sacramento State University campus. It was owned...
in 1992, as part of the team that won that years World Bowl
World Bowl
The World Bowl was the American football Championship game of NFL Europe, similar to the Super Bowl of the National Football League.The World Bowl trophy itself was a globe made of glass measuring 35.5 cm in diameter and weighing 18.6 kg .-World League of American Football:When NFL Europe was...
. Johnson went into training camp with the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1992, but ended up requiring surgery on his knee.