New Opportunity
Despite his injuries and the fact he was replaced in the starting lineup, Johnson returned to school after his coach called and reminded him that walking away is out of the question.
He thought that the dream of playing in the NFL was dead, but that didn’t mean he’ll never get to play football again. And in 1995, the Canadian Football League took an interest in Johnson, and he ended up signing with the Calgary Stampeders. A yearly salary of $35,000 didn’t get him the lavish lifestyle he wanted for his family, but it was a good place to start.
Not Good Enough
Johnson was supposed to play as a linebacker for the Calgary Stampeders, but it didn’t take him long to be relegated to the practice team, earning only $250 a week. Two months into the season, he was told to pack his bags because he simply didn’t have what it takes to be a football player.
“You hear the words you never want to hear as a player: ‘Coach wants to see you. Bring your playbook. There was no injury. It’s just, ‘That’s it. You’re not good enough.’ That was very sobering,” Johnson told *Hollywood Reporter.