Eric Johnson: What to Know About the Former 49ers Tight End
Eric Johnson is the husband of singer and actress Jessica Simpson and they have been married for [...]
Attended Yale
2019 IVY LEAGUE CHAMPIONS!#ThisIsYale pic.twitter.com/AM418XYswj
— Yale Football (@yalefootball) November 23, 2019
Johnson played college football at Yale which means he's pretty smart as well as athletic. During his time at Yale, he had a monster game in 1999 contest against Harvard, catching 21 passes for 244 yards in a 24-21 victory.
prevnextDrafted by 49ers in 2001
Hey @gmfb not sure if you guys still do the rare jersey segment but here’s one.. Eric Johnson Jersey sighting #49ers pic.twitter.com/3yw6YaMKgR
— CrockTIME (@eric_crocker) October 25, 2017
Because Johnson was able to make a big impact at a smaller school, he was drafted by the 49ers in the seventh round of 2001 NFL Draft. In his rookie season, Johnson played in all 16 games and caught 40 passes for 362 yards and three touchdowns.
prevnextBreakout Year in 2004
You know you’ve been a #49ers fan for a long time when...
...you remember Eric Johnson’s 162-yard performance in a 31-28 OT win over the @AZCardinals in 2004. #49ersMemories pic.twitter.com/fK9ZH9Sggn
— 904 Niners Nation (@904NinersNation) July 2, 2018
The NFL began to take notice of Johnson in 2004 as he made history that season. He set the team record for receptions for a tight end with 82 and tallied 825 yards and two touchdowns. Many thought things were looking up for Johnson, but unfortunately, that wasn't the case.
prevnextInjuries
#49ers TE Eric Johnson (2001–06) attended Yale and is married to singer Jessica Simpson.
— #Random49ers (@Random49ers) December 15, 2017
He led team with 82 catches in 2004.#Random49ers pic.twitter.com/7DeLleLrEI
One of the big reasons Johnson's career never took off was because of injuries. He missed all of the 2003 and 2005 seasons with injuries and that led to the team drafting Vernon Davis in 2006 — which also led to Johnson splitting time with him on the field.
prevnextFinal NFL Season with Saints
Former #Saints Scott Fujita and Eric Johnson at #Gleason premiere party. pic.twitter.com/RXmlHuOpJ2
— Brett Martel (@brettmartel) January 23, 2016
Once his contract was up with the 49ers, Johnson signed a one-year contract with the New Orleans Saints. He was able to stay healthy for the most part in 2007, as he caught 48 passes for 378 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games. The Saints re-signed Johnson in 2008 but he was cut before the regular season began.
prevnextLeft Business School to Be With Jessica Simpson
Our campaign will bolster the people, the research, the partnerships, the education, and the spaces that spark great ideas and bring them to global scale. #MoreThanEver https://t.co/mO4D7fqRjM pic.twitter.com/czyF6tALNr
— Wharton School (@Wharton) June 21, 2018
Johnson and Simpson started dating in 2010 and at the time Johnson was attending a two-year business program at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School. The former NFL tight end pulled out of the program to be closer to Simpson.
He doesn't want to move to Philadelphia and leave her so soon after they got together," a source said to US Weekly at the time.
prevnextKeeping it Private
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Johnson is different from Simpson when it comes to what he shares with the public. He doesn't have an Instagram or Twitter account and the only time he's seen is when Simpson posts on her Instagram. When it was announced that Johnson and Simpson were married, a writer from the New Orleans Times-Picayune said: "I never would have guessed that the journeyman tight end from Yale would be the Saint to marry a pop culture star."
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