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Today in Patriots History
Bethel Johnson
Bethel Johnson
Happy 46th birthday to Bethel Johnson
Born Feb 11, 1979 in Dallas
Patriot KR and WR, 2003-2005; uniform #81
Pats 2nd round (45th overall) selection of the 2003 draft, from Texas A&M
Pats résumé: 3 seasons, 39 games (7 starts); 25.1 yard average on 102 kickoff returns (2 TD); 30 receptions with 4 touchdowns
The New England Patriots kick returner, wide receiver and two-time Super Bowl champion turns 46 today.
Johnson is best remembered for an electrifying 41-yard touchdown reception in a freezing cold playoff game against Tennessee.
Bethel Johnson grew up in the Dallas suburb of Corsicana, then traveled a couple hours south to go to Texas A&M. As a member of the Aggies he set what was then a school record for receptions and receiving yards. He and Ty Warren were teammates at College Station.
Johnson had modest numbers as a member of the Patriots. In 39 regular season games he made seven starts, with 30 receptions for 450 yards and four touchdowns. His performance on kickoff returns was superior, averaging 25.1 yards on 102 returns with two touchdowns.
Those stats back up a case for Bethel Johnson being a major draft bust when considering how early he was selected. Johnson had the misfortune to often being compared to another wide receiver that was still available in that draft: Anquan Boldin. On the other hand look at who was selected immediately prior (Taylor Jacobs), and who the number two overall pick was (Charles Rogers). Two wide receivers with similar career stats but without the kickoff returns, or the big plays. In other words, far worse draft picks.
The question that is not asked though is why did the Patriots even use a second round pick on Johnson, when they already had two young receivers (David Givens, Deion Branch) and a pair of solid veterans (Troy Brown, David Patten)? Considering the competition it is no wonder Johnson saw limited playing time.
Bethel Johnson diving catch vs Seahawks
33-second Highlight Play
33-second Highlight Play
That is not to say that Bethel Johnson did not have any memorable moments for Pats fans. In 2003 he returned a kickoff 92 yards against the Colts as time in the first half expired, giving the Patriots a 24-10 lead. That was the same game that ended with Willie McGinest stonewalling Edgerrin James on 4th-and-1 for a 38-34 victory. Then in the 2003 postseason versus Tennessee Johnson had another clutch performance. In the freezing cold he hauled in a 41 yard pass for a touchdown to give the Pats an early lead. Then on 3rd-and-13 Johnson took a screen pass and managed to gain 14 yards, leading to New England’s second touchdown.
Bethel Johnson Highlights
3:25 Highlight Video
3:25 Highlight Video
The Patriots went undefeated in Bethel Johnson’s six postseason games.
As a rookie Johnson made it a point to put money away and plan for the future. After his pro football career came to an end he began a new career working in the Dallas area as a financial advisor.
Financial adviser Bethel Johnson flattered to 'return' to Pats' headlines
We catch up with former Patriots speedster Bethel Johnson, whom Bill Belichick referenced after the arrival of fleet-footed Cordarrelle Patterson.
www.espn.com
“I got into this about three years ago, because I wanted to help our guys in this industry to stop going broke and help guys understand how money works,” Johnson told ESPN.com in a phone interview. “I look at it as, ‘These guys are my brothers.’ Whether they played before me, or after me, we’re all in the same fraternity. The last thing you want to read is that a player’s money was mismanaged by someone who took advantage of them. I understand what players go through, because I was one of those guys, but I was different in how I saw money. I wasn’t a big spender.”
When Johnson was selected by the Patriots in the second round of the 2003 draft, he received a $1.75 million signing bonus as part of a five-year, $3.8 million contract.
With the assistance of a trusted adviser, Johnson said he planned for his retirement “from Day 1” of his professional career and that upon his retirement in 2008, after a short stint with the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts, he was “taken care of.”
“I got my signing bonus and said, ‘Listen, I may never see this money again, so I want this to last me the rest of my life. What I don’t want to do is go back to being broke,’” he said. “That was the game plan.”
May 29, 2003:
June 5, 2006:
Pats to deal WR Johnson to Saints for DT Sullivan
New England and New Orleans have agreed to a trade that would send wide receiver Bethel Johnson from the Patriots to the Saints for defensive lineman Johnathan Sullivan.
www.espn.com
Oct 10, 2006:
Vikings sign WR Bethel Johnson, drop Drew Henson
The Vikings signed receiver Bethel Johnson on Tuesday, adding a player with a reliable record as a kickoff returner.
www.espn.com
Bethel Johnson Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College | Pro-Football-Reference.com
Checkout the latest stats for Bethel Johnson. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, college, draft, and more on Pro-football-reference.com.
www.pro-football-reference.com
