Tony Johnson (born March 12, 1982) is a current American football coach for the Ohio State Buckeyes. He played wide receiver collegiately at Penn State from 2000 to 2003. Entering the 2008 season, he was ranked 10th all time in receptions for the Nittany Lions with 107, and 9th in receiving yards with 1,702.[1] Johnson was listed at 5'11, 209 lbs. and wore number 11.[2] His older brother is former NFL running back Larry Johnson.[3] Tony was also Larry's manager.[4]
| Current position | |
|---|---|
| Title | Senior advisor / analyst |
| Team | Ohio State |
| Biographical details | |
| Born | September 19, 1983 |
| Alma mater | Penn State |
| Playing career | |
| 2000–2003 | Penn State |
| Position(s) | Wide receiver |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 2024–present | Ohio State (Analyst) |
Johnson attended State College Area High School in State College, Pennsylvania, and was recruited by several college teams. Originally a quarterback and running back in high school, he converted to wide receiver upon committing to the Nittany Lions.[5]
From 2001 to 2002, Johnson served as the Nittany Lions' second-choice receiver, playing alongside Bryant Johnson. In 2002, he had three receiving touchdowns, caught 34 passes, and gained 549 receiving yards.[6] In 2003, when he was a senior at Penn State, Johnson was charged with DUI.[7] He was suspended for two games by the team after this incident.[8] Following his return, Johnson had three touchdowns in a game against Indiana.[8]
Personal life
editTony married his wife, Karin Grapp-Johnson, in the summer of 2009. They have three children, two boys and a girl. He now resides in Ohio, where he remotely is able to fulfill his managing duties for older brother Larry Johnson. Tony travels often to attend and accompany Larry to Bengals home and away games.
Tony is the second of three children, born to Christine and Larry Johnson Sr. His father, Larry Johnson Sr., is a former high school coach, and the current defensive line coach at The Ohio State University.[9]
He worked for Fischer Homes in Ohio for ten years prior to starting at Ohio State and served on the coaching staff at Olentangy Berkshire Middle School for two years.[10]
References
edit- ^ 2008 Penn State Spring Football: Receiving Records (PDF). Penn State University. 2008. pp. 75–77. Retrieved July 2, 2010.
- ^ "Tony Johnson #11 WR". ESPN. Retrieved July 2, 2010.
- ^ Fittipaldo, Ray (November 15, 2002). "Whether a game or war, football unites Johnsons". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved July 2, 2010. [dead link]
- ^ Merrill, Elizabeth (September 15, 2007). "Rap linked to Chiefs' Johnson stirs controversy in K.C." ESPN. Retrieved July 2, 2010.
- ^ Scarcella, Rich (August 25, 2003). "It's late? Johnson's your man". Reading Eagle. Retrieved July 2, 2010.
- ^ Fittipaldo, Ray (April 22, 2003). "Football: Paterno has serious plans for top receiver". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved July 2, 2010.
- ^ "PSU receiver Johnson charged with DUI". Associated Press. USA Today. October 22, 2003. Retrieved September 8, 2009.
- ^ a b Anderson, Shelly (November 17, 2003). "Johnson hears positive report after Penn State ends slide". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved July 2, 2010.
- ^ Fernandez, Bernard (February 7, 2009). "College Football: Johnson remains PSU's recruiting magnet". The Daily Item. Retrieved July 2, 2010.
- ^ "Larry Johnson's Son Tony Johnson Joins Ohio State's Staff As Analyst/Advisor". Eleven Warriors. February 13, 2024. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
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