Johnson joins the 49ers after serving as the Baltimore Ravens wide receivers coach from 2006 to 2007. At Baltimore, he helped 12-year veteran receiver Derrick Mason record his then-sixth 1,000+-yard receiving season in 2007. Mason tallied 1,087 yards on 103 receptions with five touchdowns, leading the team in all receiving categories. A year prior, WR Mark Clayton developed into the Ravens top deep threat and playmaker, posting three touchdowns of 62 or more yards in 2006.
Prior to joining Baltimore, Johnson spent three years as the quarterbacks coach with the Atlanta Falcons, tutoring three-time Pro Bowl quarterback Michael Vick. Vick put up 2,412 passing yards and 15 touchdowns, while ranking second on the team with 597 rushing yards and six touchdowns. In 2004, Vick became the first NFL quarterback to throw for more than 250 yards and run for more than 100 yards in a single game (at Denver, 10-31-2004). In 2003, Interim Head Coach Wade Phillips asked Johnson to call the Falcons offensive plays for the final two games of the season. In those two contests, Vick compiled his second-highest quarterback rankings of the year (119.2 at Tampa Bay, 12-20-03, and 93.0 vs. Jacksonville, 12-28-03)
. In 2002, Johnson guided a young receiving corps that included WR Brian Finneran, who had the best year of his career, recording 838 yards on 56 receptions and six touchdowns.
From 2000 to 2001, Johnson served as the quarterbacks coach for the San Diego Chargers. Under Johnson’s guidance, Doug Flutie amassed career-highs with 3,464 yards passing and 294 completions in 2001. Flutie’s passing yards that season were the most for a Chargers quarterback since Dan Fouts put up 3,638 yards in 1985. During the 2001 campaign, Flutie threw for more than 300 yards on four occasions.
Johnson coached quarterbacks at Oregon State in 1999 after serving as the Beavers wide receivers coach from 1997 to 1998.
Johnson played five pro seasons as a quarterback, beginning his career as a rookie free agent with the Arizona Cardinals in 1990. After being released as part of the team’s final cuts of training camp that season, Johnson played two years for the San Antonio Riders of the World League. Johnson moved to the Canadian Football league in 1992 and quarterbacked the British Columbia Lions for two seasons. From 1994 to 1995, he quarterbacked the CFL’s Shreveport Pirates for his final two pro playing years.
Johnson was the backup quarterback at ASU from 1985 to 1986, but then transferred to Mesa Community College, where he became a Junior College All-American in 1987. Johnson then transferred to the University of Akron for two years (1988-89) and was named Akron’s Athlete of the Year in 1990.