Twenty-two teams. TWENTY-TWO.
Josh Johnson is heading back to the Cincinnati Bengals for his third stint with the franchise and his 22nd - yes, 22nd - different NFL stop since entering the league with the Cleveland Browns in 2012.
Let me put that in perspective for you, folks. Most players are thrilled to make one NFL roster. Making two or three over a career is solid. But Johnson has been cut, signed, waived, re-signed, added to practice squads, promoted to active rosters, and everything in between more times than most players have gotten paychecks.
And yet, at 37 years old, he's still getting phone calls. He's still getting contracts. He's still living the dream that 99% of football players have to give up in their 20s.
Adam Schefter broke the news with appropriate amazement, adding an exclamation point to that "22nd!" because honestly, what else can you do? The number speaks for itself.
Johnson first played for the Bengals back in 2013. That was 13 years ago. Think about everything that's happened in your life since 2013. Johnson has played for 22 different NFL organizations in that time.
He's been a starter. He's been a backup. He's been a third-stringer. He's been a practice squad guy. He's been activated for emergencies and deactivated when the emergency passed. And through it all, he's stayed ready, stayed professional, and stayed in the league.
That's not talent alone - that's perseverance. That's understanding your role. That's being the ultimate professional, ready to step in whenever your number gets called, even if that number only gets called for a week before you're back on waivers.
The Bengals know what they're getting. They've had Johnson twice before. He's a known quantity, a veteran presence who can help in the quarterback room and step in if disaster strikes. At 37, he's seen it all, done it all, and been everywhere.
