Houston Sports - Andre Johnson

Andre Johnson

Born: July 11, 1981

Sport: Football (All-American, 7-time Pro Bowl, 4-time All-Pro, Hall of Fame)

During the fifth week of the NFL season, the Houston Texans finally earned their first victory of 2026.  The win came against the Tennessee Titans, who used to be the Houston Oilers until leaving town after the 1996 season.  With the win, Houston's current franchise moves above .500 against Houston's former franchise for the first time ever, claiming a 25-24 edge in all-time matchups.  Some of the Texans' most famous and infamous moments have come against the squad from Nashville, and the two division rivals have shared numerous players over the years.  One of the very greatest to ever play his position spent his entire 14-year career playing for teams in the AFC South, including 12 for Houston and one each for Indianapolis and Tennessee.  He also had one of the most iconic beatdowns of an opponent in NFL history while playing those very Titans.  In honor of today's win for the Texans, let's take a look at the only representative of the franchise to have been inducted as a Texan into the Hall of Fame - Andre Johnson.

Andre started playing in Houston in 2003 and stayed for 12 seasons

Andre Johnson was born in Miami, Florida, as the only child of Karen Johnson and was named for his uncle Andre Melton who became a major role model in his life.  Young Andre's father, Leroy Richardson, was rarely involved in his son's life and left Karen to raise the boy as a single mother in a rough neighborhood.  She worked hard to provide for Andre, and passed along the strict discipline she knew from her time in the Army Reserves.  As early as age six, Andre loved football and played it regularly with friends in the inner city, but he also excelled in other sports.  To keep him away from negative influences in their neighborhood Karen enrolled her son in a school 30 miles away, forcing the naturally quiet Andre to deal with brand new social connections early in life.  By the time he attended Miami Senior High School, Johnson had become a star athlete and lettered in football, basketball, and track.  Named a Parade All-American, he was on the radar of numerous universities but picked the one closest to home.  The Miami Hurricanes were a national football powerhouse, and the school was more than happy to have a local product added to their bevvy of talent, especially since he also bolstered the school's track team.

As a college student athlete, Andre Johnson was in a position where he didn't have pressure to be a star immediately but he certainly had to perform to earn his place on a team with championship aspirations.  In his first game, Johnson scored a touchdown on a 32-yard reception, but because he was largely used on special teams during his freshman season it would be his only score of the year.  He had a massive breakout during his sophomore year, however, as he led the Big East Conference in touchdowns with 10, helping lead the Hurricanes to an undefeated season.  During the Rose Bowl, Miami defeated Nebraska to earn the National Championship, with Johnson taking home co-MVP honors on the strength of 7 catches for 199 yards and 2 touchdowns.  During the offseason, Johnson also claimed the 60 meter title at the Big East Indoor Championship as well as the 100 meter title at the Big East Outdoor Championship.  But while everything seemed to be going well, that summer also carried a heavy personal weight.  After years of holding a grudge against the father who was never around, Johnson was on track to connect with Leroy Richardson and develop a better relationship when he received news that his absentee father had been fatally shot.  Leaning hard on his mother and "Uncle Dre" Melton, Johnson refused to let the tragedy become a burden.  During his junior year he became just the second Hurricane to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards in a season as he led the conference, but Miami fell short in the Fiesta Bowl to Ohio State, failing to repeat as national champs.  Johnson was already a top-rated NFL prospect and decided to forego his senior season, but capped off his collegiate career with a 200 meter title at the 2003 GMAC Championship.

The Houston Texans, who had just completed their first season in existence, selected Andre Johnson with the third overall pick of the 2003 NFL Draft.  He teamed up with QB David Carr, who had set a record by getting sacked 78 times during the 2002 season, so he clearly needed some offensive help.  Johnson turned out to be a great safety blanket, with an impressive set of hands to go along with his 6' 3" frame, and Carr's numbers improved dramatically to just 15 sacks during 2003.  Johnson earned some attention as he was named to the All Rookie team, but his second season was even better as it saw him eclipse 1,000 receiving yards and earn his very first Pro Bowl selection.  As a quiet star in the making, playing a position better known for loud, arrogant players who many would call "prima donnas", Johnson began earning fans among the workmanlike Houston faithful.  He had setbacks in 2005, missing games due to injury for the first time in his career as the team struggled to a league-worst 2-14 record, but rebounded under new head coach Gary Kubiak in 2006.  After leading the league in with 103 catches, Johnson earned his second Pro Bowl and first All Pro recognition.  The Texans rewarded his play with a six-year extension, and although he missed seven games in 2007 due to injury he came back strong and helped Houston to an 8-8 record, the first time they had reached .500 in franchise history.

Despite playing for an expansion team that was still trying to establish itself as a successful franchise, while also being teamed up with quarterbacks that weren't generally considered top-tier, Andre Johnson became known as one of the most consistent, feared receivers in the game.  During the 2008 and 2009 seasons, he became just the third WR to lead the league in receiving yards in consecutive seasons.  For 2010, the Texans adjusted his contract to add two seasons and make Johnson the highest paid receiver in NFL history.  On November 28, 2010, Johnson came to blows with Tennessee Titans DB Cortland Finnegan, a known agitator who had been taking cheap shots at the Texans star all day.  Johnson finally erupted in retaliation, pulling off Finnegan's helmet.  Finnegan attempted the same, clutching Johnson's facemask and spinning in a circle until it came lose, but Johnson landed on top of Finnegan and delivered several blows to his head and neck.  Both players were ejected and fined, though neither was suspended, and I happened to be at a Houston Rockets game that night where the cameraman casually panned over to Andre Johnson, leading the entire arena to erupt in cheers, giving the hometown hero a standing ovation.  It was one of my favorite in-person sporting events I've ever experienced.  One year later, the star receiver got his first taste of the postseason as Houston won the AFC South for the first time and won their very first playoff game with a 31-10 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals before falling a week later, 13-20 to the Baltimore Ravens.  The 2012 season would follow a similar track, with the Texans winning the division and defeating their first playoff opponent, only to lose in the divisional round.  But in 2013, the team crumbled en route to another 2-14 season, leading to a complete reboot as both the head coach and quarterback were shown the exit door.

Starting in 2014, the Houston Texans would have a revolving door at quarterback and Andre Johnson's productivity declined dramatically.  He was informed that he would not be a starter the following year, and he requested to be moved.  Failing to find a trade partner, the Texans instead cut Johnson in order to allow him to find another home.  He signed a three-year deal with Indianapolis and played the entire season as the active leader in receiving yards, following the retirement of Colts WR Reggie Wayne, but was released following just one season.  Johnson then played his final year with the Titans, starting just four games and recording the final two touchdowns of his career.  The Texans signed him to a one-day contract so that he could officially end his career with the team, and he claimed his heart never left Houston and that not bringing a title to the city was the one regret he had from a great career.  The franchise honored him as the very first member of the Texans Ring of Honor in 2017, and he has also been inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame (2014) and Texas Sports Hall of Fame (2019).  In 2024, during his third year of eligibility and also third year as a finalist, Johnson was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the first (and so far only) Texan to play his way into Canton.  The famously quiet and unassuming star has managed to largely remain out of the spotlight, but after having gone viral in 2012 for throwing a huge shopping spree for a group of kids who had been victims of abuse, has continued the tradition of giving them a Christmas every year.  Johnson remains actively involved with the Texans franchise, hoping to be around when they eventually do reach the top of the mountain and are able to celebrate the first title in franchise history.

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