NFL CAREER – In his fifth season with New Orleans, Juwan Johnson looks to continue his progression at tight end and develop chemistry with QB Derek Carr in their second season of work together for the Black and Gold. The former Penn State and Oregon wideout joined the Saints in 2020 following the NFL Draft and transitioned to tight end in his second season. In 2023, the New Jersey native continued to progress as a pass-catcher, appearing in 13 games with 11 starts, finishing with 37 receptions for 359 yards and four touchdown grabs.
CAREER TRANSACTIONS – Agreed to terms on a two-year contract extension, 3/11/23; Activated from Reserve/COVID-19, 12/28/21; Placed on Reserve/COVID-19, 12/21/21; Signed to active roster from practice squad, 12/19/20; Elevated to active roster, 12/12/20; Elevated to active roster, 12/5/20; Elevated to active roster, 10/31/20; Elevated to active roster, 10/24/20; Agreed to terms on a practice squad contract, 9/6/20; Waived, 9/5/20; Agreed to terms as an undrafted free agent, 4/27/20.
2023 – Played in 13 games with 11 starts, hauling in 37 receptions for 359 yards and four touchdown grabs. Also had one miscellaneous fumble recovery…Vs. Tennessee, Sept. 10, started, catching three passes for 36 yards…missed four games with a calf injury (Weeks Four-Seven)…Vs. Chicago, Nov. 5, started and finished with five receptions for 29 yards and a TD…Vs. N.Y. Giants, Dec. 17, rotated in on offense and special teams. Finished with two receptions for 38 yards and a TD…At L.A. Rams, Dec. 21, started and played on special teams, finishing with four receptions for 48 yards and a TD…At Tampa Bay Dec. 31, started and saw action on special teams. Had a career day on offense, leading the team in receiving with eight receptions for 90 yards and a TD, including a season-long 32-yard reception, third straight game with a TD…Vs. Atlanta, 1/7/24, started and saw action on special teams in 50th career NFL game. Finished with three catches for 40 yards. 2022 – Played in 16 games with 12 starts, finishing with 42 receptions for 508 yards and a team-best seven touchdown grabs, which was tied for third among NFL tight ends. Added one special teams tackle…At Atlanta, Sept. 11, played on offense and special teams and recorded two catches for 43 yards…Vs. Tampa Bay, Sept. 18, recorded four catches for 40 yards…At Carolina, Sept. 25, started and played on special teams, recording a tackle…Vs. Minnesota (London), Oct. 2, played on offense and special teams and caught three passes for 33 yards…Vs. Seattle, Oct. 9, saw time on offense and special teams and had a 13-yard catch…Vs. Cincinnati, Oct. 16, started and played on special teams and caught four passes for 41 yards…At Arizona, Oct. 20, started and saw action on special teams and caught five passes for 32 yards and a career-best tying two touchdown grabs…Vs. Las Vegas, Oct. 30, started and played on special teams and had two receptions for 14 yards…Vs. Baltimore, Nov. 7, started and played on special teams and finished with two receptions for 42 yards, including a career-long 41-yard scoring grab…At Pittsburgh, Nov. 13, started and played on special teams and finished with five receptions for 44 yards with a 15-yard TD…Vs. L.A. Rams, Nov. 20, started in three-tight end set and saw action on special teams and caught three passes for 47 yards with one TD to set a career-high for scoring grabs (team-best five)...At San Francisco, Nov. 27, started and saw action on special teams…Vs. Atlanta, Dec. 18, started and led team in receiving, hauling in four passes for a 67 yards with two TDs. The two scores marked his second multi-touchdown game of season and third of career…At Philadelphia, 1/1/23, started and finished with five receptions for 62 yards…In finale vs. Carolina, 1/8/23, started and finished with a 21-yard reception. 2021 – Played in 14 games with two starts and finished with 13 receptions for 159 yards (12.2 avg.) and four TDs…In opener vs. Green Bay, Sept. 12 (played in Jacksonville, Fl. due to Hurricane Ida), caught three passes for 21 yards and recorded his first two NFL TDs, helping the Saints defeat the Packers 38-3…At Carolina, Sept. 19, recorded a 23-yard reception…Vs. N.Y. Giants, Oct. 3, had two receptions for 20 yards and one TD…Vs. Tampa Bay, Oct. 31, made first career start at TE…At Tennessee, Nov. 14, caught two passes for 36 yards…Vs. Dallas, Dec. 12, had a 27-yard catch…At Atlanta 1/9/22, caught a five-yard TD. 2020 – Played in seven games with four starts in rookie campaign at WR...Totaled four receptions for 39 yards (9.8 avg)…Made his NFL debut, starting and playing on special teams vs. Carolina, Oct. 25...At Chicago, Nov. 1, caught his first career reception, a five-yard grab from QB Drew Brees...Recorded a key first-down pickup from QB Taysom Hill to bring the football to the Eagles 39-yard line on a 11-yard reception on a touchdown drive at Philadelphia, Dec. 13…Contributed on offense and special teams and caught a pass for a 19-yard gain from Brees vs. Minnesota, Dec. 25.
COLLEGE – Played as a graduate transfer at Oregon in 2019 after playing at Penn State from 2016-18…In four college seasons, played in 47 games and recorded 111 receptions for 1,590 yards and six touchdowns…In 2019, played in the final ten games for the Ducks after missing the first four with a calf injury and recorded 30 receptions for 467 yards (15.6 avg.) and four TDs, finishing second on the team with eight grabs over 20 yards…As a Penn State junior in 2018, played in ten games and made seven starts, finishing with 25 catches for 352 yards and a TD…As a sophomore, started all 13 games and finished seventh in Big Ten in receptions (54) and receiving yards (701)…As redshirt freshman in 2016, appeared in all 14 games, primarily on special teams and ranked second on team with nine coverage stops, including eight on kickoff return, one blocked punt and added two receptions for 70 yards…Graduated in 2018 with a telecommunications degree.
PERSONAL – Consensus four-star and top 200 prospect by multiple recruiting outlets and services at Glassboro (N.J.) HS…Rated as No. 115 overall prospect and the No. 12 wideout in the nation in the final 247Sports composite rating…Played in U.S. Army All-American Bowl and also advanced to Nike's "The Opening" Finals camp…Had 42 catches for 804 yards (19.1 avg.) with nine TDs and two rushing scores as senior and made 22 stops at DB...Also played basketball…Younger brother of former Saints DE George Johnson, who played in the NFL from 2011-17, closing out his playing career with the Black and Gold in 2017…Played in the 2022 and 2023 Saints Hall of Fame Golf Tournaments at Chateau Country Club…Although Johnson missed the Dec. 5, 2022 'My Cause My Cleats' matchup at Tampa Bay, his cleats were painted to support Culture Aid NOLA, which provides fresh food with twice weekly distributions. The cleats were auctioned off with the proceeds to benefit the nonprofit…Interacted with fans at the 2023 New Orleans Saints Draft Crawfish Cook-off event, which benefited several Autism-related non-profits…In 2023 provided a perspective on his career pivot to tight end and teaching football skills in leading a clinic with a group of talented New Orleans-area female flag football stars…In November, he and wife, Chanen joined Take Paws Rescue to participate in a pet adoption event sponsored by Raising Cane's…This winter, teamed up with Hill's Pet Nutrition and Greater Good Charities to help raise donations for Shelter Bowl 2024, which supported pets in need…In January, joined Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana volunteers at Second Harvest Food Bank to help prepare meals…In May, the Johnson's hosted a block party event in Glassboro for youth, featuring food trucks and field games…In June, held a cooking demonstration for local youth at the New Orleans School of Cooking…Born on September 13, 1996 in Stratford, N.J.
