Brandon Johnson’s rookie season has been a wild ride. As a college free-agent signing by the Denver Broncos, Johnson established great momentum during OTAs and training camp before an injury nipped it in the bud.
The Broncos waived him in August. Johnson languished a bit, but it allowed him the full opportunity to heal, and the Broncos re-signed him to the practice squad in October.
Johnson officially made his NFL debut in Week 11, catching one pass. But in Game 2 against the Carolina Panthers, he popped his NFL touchdown cherry, and it just so happened to be a historical score.
Broncos QB Russell Wilson had been sitting at 299 career touchdowns since Week 10 and when he connected with Johnson in the end zone late in Sunday’s loss to the Panthers, he finally got over the hump. Wilson joined Tom Brady (638), Aaron Rodgers (468), Matt Ryan (377), and Matthew Stafford as the only active quarterbacks to reach 300 career touchdown passes, and tied John Elway for the 13th-most passing scores in NFL history.
“In terms of, obviously the John Elway thing, I’d rather win than anything else,” a dispirited Wilson said post-game. “At the end of the day, the only thing I care about, the only record I really care about is winning. We got to find how to do that.”
Wilson is the seventh-fastest quarterback in league history to reach the 300-touchdown milestone. (168 games). Johnson became the third Broncos rookie to catch a touchdown pass this season, joining tight end Greg Dulcich and fellow undrafted wideout Jalen Virgil. Johnson finished with two receptions on four targets for 10 yards and a score.
“That’s amazing,” Johnson said post-game after catching Wilson’s 300th touchdown. “Wow. 300. That’s crazy.”
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Johnson’s touchdown, which came in garbage time, was one of the few bright spots in a dark, ugly offensive performance by the Broncos. Denver finished with just 246 total yards and barely managed to reach double digits. The rookie, though? Give the man his daps.
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Now, there’s the uncomfortable dilemma of deciding who gets to keep the historic football. The guy who just made NFL history? Or the rookie who just caught his first TD?
“I’ve got to talk to Russ and see what Russ says,” Johnson said.
Bet on Wilson coming away with that particular piece of NFL historical loot.
“I think first of all, I’m more happy for Brandon,” Wilson said. “To score his first touchdown, what a blessing. Obviously, he worked. He’s been working so hard. He’s done an amazing job. High character guy. Guy’s given everything, every day.”
Maybe Russ gives the ball to the rookie. I could be wrong.
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