Stafon Johnson
Encyclopedia
Stafon Johnson is a professional American football
running back
who is currently a free agent
. He was signed by the Tennessee Titans
as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played football at USC
.
at Dorsey High School in Los Angeles, California
. He played running back and defensive back
. Going into his junior season, he was regarded as one of the top three running backs in his region. His best season came as a senior in 2005 when he rushed for 2,197 yards on 247 carries with 22 touchdowns. He finished his high school career with a city record 5,777 rushing yards and 58 touchdowns.
A highly regarded recruit, Johnson was the No. 18 overall prospect in the country and the No. 2 running back by Rivals.com
. He received offers from Florida
, Miami
, UCLA and paid serious attention to Georgia
and Washington
. He ultimately chose USC, noting that he liked the coaches and its proximity to his parents.
season, Johnson played in three games, rushing for 17 yards on three carries.
Johnson had a breakthrough in the 2007 season
, finishing with 673 rushing yards and five touchdowns. He ran for 122 yards and a touchdown in 14 carries against Washington
before suffering a foot injury. The injury, which was first diagnosed a game earlier as a left foot bruise, included a sprain that kept him out of practices and limited his playing time for the rest of the season. He returned at the end of the season, rushing for 104 yards in the Rose Bowl
.
As a junior
in 2008, Johnson led the Trojans in rushing yards with 705 yards on 138 carries and nine touchdowns. He had 305 yards on 42 punt returns.
he was lifting fell on his throat during a routine team workout. Bleeding from his mouth and nose, he was rushed to California Hospital Medical Center
and had three emergency surgeries to repair damage to his crushed vocal cord, adam's apple
and torn muscles. Doctors partially credited his survival to well developed muscles around his neck, which helped him keep open a breathing passage, as well as his level of fitness. He was moved to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
, and was released on October 15, 2009, though he was still unable to speak and had a breathing tube
in his throat. The injury ended his 2009 season, during which he had run for a team-high five touchdown
s in the Trojans' first four games. As a fourth-year senior, Johnson was eligible to enter the NFL or apply to the NCAA for an extra year of eligibility because of a medical hardship.
Later in the 2009 season, the USC football team honored Johnson by wearing helmet stickers that read "STA FIGHT ON" while playing rival Notre Dame
.
On January 24, 2011, Johnson sued USC and the former assistant conditioning coach who was present for negligence related to the accident.
, Johnson signed a contract immediately after the draft with the Tennessee Titans
.
In his rookie season, Stafon Johnson was injured in a preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks on August 15, 2010. His ankle was severely dislocated by an opposing tackler accidentally landing on Johnson's planted right leg. He was estimated to be out for at least 8–12 weeks. He cleared waivers
and was placed on IR. He was released on September 2, 2011.
Johnson enjoys music and bowling. He prays before every game. He has one son, Stafon Johnson Jr.
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...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He was signed by the Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played football at USC
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
.
Early years
Johnson played high school footballHigh school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
at Dorsey High School in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. He played running back and defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
. Going into his junior season, he was regarded as one of the top three running backs in his region. His best season came as a senior in 2005 when he rushed for 2,197 yards on 247 carries with 22 touchdowns. He finished his high school career with a city record 5,777 rushing yards and 58 touchdowns.
A highly regarded recruit, Johnson was the No. 18 overall prospect in the country and the No. 2 running back by Rivals.com
Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting. The network was started in 1996 and currently employs more than 300 personnel.-Schools:The individual collegiate sites can be found...
. He received offers from Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
, UCLA and paid serious attention to Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
and Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
. He ultimately chose USC, noting that he liked the coaches and its proximity to his parents.
College career
During his freshmanFreshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
season, Johnson played in three games, rushing for 17 yards on three carries.
2007 USC Trojans football team
The 2007 University of Southern California Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California during the college football season of 2007–2008, winning a share of the Pacific-10 Conference Championship and winning the 2008 Rose Bowl...
, finishing with 673 rushing yards and five touchdowns. He ran for 122 yards and a touchdown in 14 carries against Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
before suffering a foot injury. The injury, which was first diagnosed a game earlier as a left foot bruise, included a sprain that kept him out of practices and limited his playing time for the rest of the season. He returned at the end of the season, rushing for 104 yards in the Rose Bowl
2008 Rose Bowl
The 2008 Rose Bowl Game presented by Citi, the 94th Rose Bowl Game, played on January 1, 2008 at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California, was a college football bowl game. The contest was televised on ABC, the 20th straight year the network aired the Rose Bowl, starting at 4:30pm EST...
.
As a junior
Junior (education)
"Junior" is a term used in the United States to describe a student in their 3rd year of study . A Junior is considered an upperclassman...
in 2008, Johnson led the Trojans in rushing yards with 705 yards on 138 carries and nine touchdowns. He had 305 yards on 42 punt returns.
Barbell accident
On September 28, 2009, Johnson suffered an injury when the 275 pounds (124.7 kg) barbellBarbell
A barbell is a piece of exercise equipment used in weight training, weightlifting and powerlifting. Barbells range in length from to although bars above 7' in length are used primarily by powerlifters and aren't commonplace...
he was lifting fell on his throat during a routine team workout. Bleeding from his mouth and nose, he was rushed to California Hospital Medical Center
California Hospital Medical Center
California Hospital Medical Center is a hospital in Los Angeles, California, USA. It is currently operated by Catholic Healthcare West.-Services:The emergency department at CHMC is certified as a level II trauma center for adults.-History:...
and had three emergency surgeries to repair damage to his crushed vocal cord, adam's apple
Adam's apple
The laryngeal prominence—commonly known as the Adam's Apple—is a feature of the human neck. This lump, or protrusion, is formed by the angle of the thyroid cartilage surrounding the larynx...
and torn muscles. Doctors partially credited his survival to well developed muscles around his neck, which helped him keep open a breathing passage, as well as his level of fitness. He was moved to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Originally established as Kaspare Cohn Hospital in 1902, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is a non-profit, tertiary 958-bed hospital and multi-specialty academic health science centre located in Los Angeles, California, US. Part of the Cedars-Sinai Health System, the hospital employs a staff of over...
, and was released on October 15, 2009, though he was still unable to speak and had a breathing tube
Tracheal tube
A tracheal tube is a catheter that is inserted into the trachea in order for the primary purpose of establishing and maintaining a patent airway and to ensure the adequate exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Many different types of tracheal tubes are available, suited for different specific...
in his throat. The injury ended his 2009 season, during which he had run for a team-high five touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s in the Trojans' first four games. As a fourth-year senior, Johnson was eligible to enter the NFL or apply to the NCAA for an extra year of eligibility because of a medical hardship.
Later in the 2009 season, the USC football team honored Johnson by wearing helmet stickers that read "STA FIGHT ON" while playing rival Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
.
On January 24, 2011, Johnson sued USC and the former assistant conditioning coach who was present for negligence related to the accident.
Professional career
After going undrafted in the 2010 NFL Draft2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
, Johnson signed a contract immediately after the draft with the Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
.
In his rookie season, Stafon Johnson was injured in a preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks on August 15, 2010. His ankle was severely dislocated by an opposing tackler accidentally landing on Johnson's planted right leg. He was estimated to be out for at least 8–12 weeks. He cleared waivers
Waivers (American football)
Waivers is a National Football League labor management procedure by which a team makes an American football player contract or NFL rights available to all other teams...
and was placed on IR. He was released on September 2, 2011.
Personal
Johnson was raised by his mother, Kim Mallory. He had a close relationship with his grandfather, Larry "Big Dad" Mallory, a father figure who attended practices and games. Larry Mallory died from a heart attack at age 66. During games his sophomore season, Johnson wrote "Big Dad" on his eye blacks.Johnson enjoys music and bowling. He prays before every game. He has one son, Stafon Johnson Jr.