Josh Johnson

A 14th-year veteran in 2026, who has played for 13 different NFL organizations during his career, Johnson signed with the Bengals as an unrestricted free agent in March ... He has seen action in 50 total regular-season games and made 11 starts, appearing in contests for Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Washington, the N.Y. Jets, Baltimore and San Francisco ... Also spent time on active rosters and practice squads of several other teams, and had additional playing stints in the United Football League (2012) and the XFL ('20) ... Previous Bengals stint came in the 2013 campaign, when he played in two games for Cincinnati ... Career passing totals include 242 completions on 412 attempts for 2669 yards and 14 TDs with 18 INTs ... Also has rushed 94 times for 481 yards ... Entered NFL as fifth-round draft choice of Tampa Bay in 2008, following four-year career ('04-07) at the University of San Diego (FCS).

A 14th-year veteran in 2026, who has played for 13 different NFL organizations during his career, Johnson signed with the Bengals as an unrestricted free agent in March ... He has seen action in 50 total regular-season games and made 11 starts, appearing in contests for Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Washington, the N.Y. Jets, Baltimore and San Francisco ... Also spent time on active rosters and practice squads of several other teams, and had additional playing stints in the United Football League (2012) and the XFL ('20) ... Previous Bengals stint came in the 2013 campaign, when he played in two games for Cincinnati ... Career passing totals include 242 completions on 412 attempts for 2669 yards and 14 TDs with 18 INTs ... Also has rushed 94 times for 481 yards ... Entered NFL as fifth-round draft choice of Tampa Bay in 2008, following four-year career ('04-07) at the University of San Diego (FCS).

Career transactions: Selected by Tampa Bay in fifth round of NFL Draft (160th overall) on 4-27-08 ... Signed with Buccaneers on 7-26-08 ... Buccaneers contract expired on 3-13-12; became unrestricted free agent ... Signed with San Francisco as unrestricted free agent on 3-23-12 ... Contract terminated by 49ers on 8-31-12 ... Signed with Cleveland as free agent on 12-26-12 ... Browns contract expired on 3-12-13; became unrestricted free agent ... Signed with Cincinnati as unrestricted free agent on 3-23-13 ... Contract terminated by Bengals on 5-12-14 ... Signed with San Francisco as free agent on 5-15-14 ... Contract terminated by 49ers on 9-20-14 ... Re-signed with 49ers as free agent on 9-23-14 ... Contract terminated by 49ers on 10-10-14 ... Re-signed with 49ers as free agent on 10-14-14 ... Contract terminated by 49ers on 10-17-14 ... Re-signed with 49ers as free agent on 10-21-14 ... 49ers contract expired on 3-10-15; became unrestricted free agent ... Signed with Cincinnati as unrestricted free agent on 4-2-15 ... Contract terminated by Bengals on 8-25-15 ... Signed with N.Y. Jets as free agent on 8-28-15 ... Contract terminated by Jets on 9-5-15 ... Signed with Indianapolis as free agent on 10-2-15 ... Contract terminated by Colts on 10-5-15 ... Re-signed with Colts as free agent on 10-7-15 ... Contract terminated by Colts on 10-12-15 ... Signed with Buffalo as free agent on 10-13-15 ... Bills contract expired on 3-9-16; became unrestricted free agent ... Was not asked by Bills to re-sign; became free agent on 5-11-16 ... Signed with Baltimore as free agent on 5-16-16 ... Contract terminated by Ravens on 9-3-16 ... Signed with N.Y. Giants as free agent on 9-5-16 ... Giants contract expired on 3-9-17; became unrestricted free agent ... Re-signed with Giants as unrestricted free agent on 3-17-17 ... Contract terminated by Giants on 9-2-17 ... Signed with Houston as free agent on 11-7-17 ... Waived by Texans on 11-21-17 ... Re-signed with Texans as free agent on 12-27-17 ... Texans contract expired on 3-14-18; became unrestricted free agent ... Signed with Oakland as unrestricted free agent on 3-20-18 ... Contract terminated by Raiders on 5-10-18 ... Signed with Washington as free agent on 12-5-18 ... Washington contract expired on 3-13-19; became unrestricted free agent ... Was not asked by Washington to re-sign; became free agent on 5-8-19 ... Signed with Detroit as free agent on 8-10-19 ... Contract terminated by Lions on 9-17-19 ... Signed to San Francisco practice squad on 11-11-20 ... 49ers practice squad contract expired on 1-11-21; became free agent ... Re-signed with 49ers as free agent (Reserve/Future) on 1-15-21 ... Contract terminated by 49ers on 6-1-21 ... Signed with N.Y. Jets as free agent on 8-4-21 ... Contract terminated by Jets on 8-31-21 ... Signed to Jets practice squad on 9-1-21 ... Signed with Baltimore as free agent (off Jets practice squad) on 12-16-21 ... Ravens contract expired on 3-16-22; became unrestricted free agent ... Signed with Denver as unrestricted free agent on 3-21-22 ... Contract terminated by Broncos on 8-30-22 ... Signed to Broncos practice squad on 8-31-22 ... Signed with San Francisco as free agent (off Broncos practice squad) on 12-6-22 ... 49ers contract expired on 3-15-23; became unrestricted free agent ... Was not asked by 49ers to re-sign; became free agent on 5-2-23 ... Signed with Baltimore as free agent on 5-22-23 ... Contract terminated by Ravens on 8-29-23 ... Re-signed with Ravens as free agent on 8-31-23 ... Contract terminated by Ravens on 9-23-23 ... Re-signed with Ravens as free agent on 9-25-23 ... Ravens contract expired on 3-13-24; became unrestricted free agent ... Re-signed with Ravens as unrestricted free agent on 3-14-24 ... Ravens contract expired on 3-12-25; became unrestricted free agent ... Signed with Washington as unrestricted free agent on 4-11-25 ... Washington contract expired on 3-11-26; became unrestricted free agent ... Signed with Cincinnati as unrestricted free agent on 3-14-26.

Pro career:

2008—Did not see game action as a rookie for Tampa Bay ... Inactive for all 16 games.

2009—Played in six games with four starts for Tampa Bay ... Active/DNP in 10 games (Games 1, 8-16) ... Completed 63 of 125 passes for 685 yards and four TDs with eight INTs ... Rushed 22 times for 148 yards ... Made NFL debut on Sept. 20 at Buffalo (no passing statistics) ... Made first career start on Oct. 4 at Washington, going 13-for-22 for 106 yards and one TD with an INT; first career TD pass was eight-yarder to WR Antonio Bryant in first quarter ... Threw for season-high 240 yards and two TDs with three picks on Oct. 11 at Philadelphia.

2010—Played in 11 games as reserve QB for Tampa Bay ... Active/DNP in five games ... Completed 14 of 16 passes (87.5 percent) for 111 yards, for passer rating of 95.6 ... Added 39 rushing yards on four carries ... Went six-for-six for 67 yards in season debut on Sept. 26 vs. Pittsburgh.

2011—Played in nine games with one start for Tampa Bay ... Active/DNP in seven games ... Completed 19 of 36 passes for 246 yards and one TD with two INTs ... Rushed 11 times for 67 yards ... Made lone start of season on Dec. 4 vs. Carolina, going 16-for-27 for 229 yards and a TD with a pick, for rating of 83.7.

2012—Played in one game for Cleveland, entering game for one snap late in fourth quarter on Dec. 30 at Pittsburgh ... Spent offseason with San Francisco, then played in two games with now-defunct Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League ... Was not with NFL team for first 16 weeks of regular season, before signing with Browns on Dec. 26.

2013—Played in two games for Cincinnati, recording seven rushing attempts for 20 yards ... Active/DNP for 14 regular-season games and one postseason game with Bengals ... Saw action on Oct. 27 vs. N.Y. Jets and Dec. 22 vs. Minnesota.

2014—Did not play ... Inactive for 13 games with San Francisco ... Was not on roster for three games.

2015—Did not see game action ... Spent preseason with Cincinnati and N.Y. Jets, then was not on NFL roster for first three weeks of regular season ... Signed on Oct. 2 with Indianapolis, where he was active/DNP for following two games ... Released by Colts on Oct. 12, and signed the following day with Buffalo, where he spent remainder of season ... Inactive for eight games and active/DNP for three games with Bills.

2016—Did not play ... Spent offseason and training camp with Baltimore, then spent entire season with N.Y. Giants ... Inactive for 12 games and active/DNP for four contests with Giants.

2017—Did not play ... Spent offseason and training camp with N.Y. Giants, before being released on Sept. 2 ... Inactive for three games (Games 9-10, 16) with Houston ... Was not with NFL team for 14 weeks during regular season.

2018—Played in four games with three starts for Washington ... Was not with NFL team for first 13 weeks of regular season, then signed with Washington on Dec. 5 ... Completed 52 of 91 passes for 590 yards and three TDs with four INTs, and rushed 23 times for 120 yards ... Made season debut on Dec. 9 vs. N.Y. Giants and went 11 of 16 for 195 yards and a TD with a pick; threw career-long 79-yard TD pass to WR Jamison Crowder in fourth quarter ... On Dec. 16 at Jacksonville, made first start since 2011 season and completed 16 of 25 passes for 151 yards and a TD ... Spent early part of offseason with Oakland, then was protected by San Diego Fleet of the Alliance of American Football (AAF) as the first overall pick in inaugural AAF QB Draft ... Signed with Washington prior to start of AAF season.

2019—Did not play in NFL game ... Active/DNP for first two games of season with Detroit, before being released on Sept. 16 ... Allocated to L.A. Wildcats of the XFL as part of 2020 XFL Supplemental Draft on Nov. 22.

2020—Did not play ... Was not with NFL team for first nine weeks of regular season, then signed on Nov. 11 to San Francisco's practice squad, where he spent six games ... Spent one game on Reserve/COVID-19 list.

2021—Played in four total games (three for N.Y. Jets, one start for Baltimore) ... Spent 11 games on Jets' practice squad ... Signed off Jets' practice squad to Baltimore's active roster on Dec. 16, and was active/DNP in three games with Ravens ... Season totals were 57 completions on 85 passing attempts for 638 yards and five TDs with two INTs, for passer rating of 99.0 ... Also rushed for 28 yards on nine carries ... On Nov. 4 at Indianapolis, entered game for Jets in second quarter and went 27-for-41 for career-high 317 yards and career-high three TDs with one INT, good for 103.4 rating ... Started for Ravens on Dec. 26 at Cincinnati and went 28-for-40 (70.0) for 304 yards and two TDs with one INT (98.3 rating).

2022—Played in two regular-season games and one postseason game for San Francisco ... Spent first 11 games on Denver's practice squad ... Elevated from Broncos' practice squad to active roster for Oct. 23 contest vs. N.Y. Jets (did not play) ... Signed to 49ers' active roster off Broncos' practice squad on Dec. 6 ... Active/DNP in three regular-season games with 49ers ... Completed one of two passes for 10 yards and rushed two times for three yards in two regular-season contests for San Francisco ... Active/DNP in two playoff games, then made postseason debut in NFC Championship on Jan. 29 at Philadelphia; went seven-of-13 for 74 yards after entering game in first quarter ... Became third QB in NFL history to complete first postseason pass at age 36 or older, joining Sonny Jurgensen and Josh McCown.

2023—Did not play ... Inactive as Baltimore's designated third QB for 13 games, and active/DNP for three regular-season contests ... Was not with team for one regular-season game ... Active/DNP for two postseason games with Ravens.

2024—Saw action in six games as reserve QB for Baltimore ... Active/DNP for 11 games ... Completed two of three passes for 17 yards, and rushed four times for one yard ... Active/DNP for two postseason contests.

2025—Played in five games with two starts for Washington ... Inactive as designated third QB for seven games and active/DNP for five contests ... Completed 34 of 54 passes for 372 yards and one TD with two INTs ... Rushed 12 times for 55 yards ... Made first start of season on Dec. 25 vs. Dallas and went 15-for-23 for 198 yards (92.3 rating) ... Made second straight start in season finale on Jan. 4 at Philadelphia, completing 14 of 22 passes for 131 yards and a TD with an INT.

College: Played four seasons (2004-07) in FCS ranks with San Diego ... Appeared in 41 games with 34 starts ... Finished career with FCS record for passing efficiency (176.68) and with school records for TD passes (113), completions (724) and passing yards (9699) ... Passed for 43 TDs and 2988 yards as a senior.

High school/personal: Hometown is Oakland, Calif. ... Attended Oakland Tech High School, where as a senior he earned first-team All-City honors in football and honorable mention All-City in basketball ... Majored in communications at San Diego, with minor in business administration ... Cousin of former NFL RB Marshawn Lynch ... Alongside Lynch, co-founded the Fam1st Family Foundation in 2006, aiming to uplift children through literacy programs, athletic camps and talent shows, among other activities.

NOTE ABOUT NFL EXPERIENCE: Johnson did not earn accrued years of experience toward NFL free agency in 2012, '17, '18, '19 or '20.

Last Updated July 2026