Safety Tyrell Johnson thought his days in the NFL were over. He trained and trained and trained following the final four games of the 2012 season, which he spent with the Detroit Lions. But when no playing jobs came his way, he decided to go back home to Arkansas.
Johnson began personal training and teaching group fitness at D1 Sports Training in Little Rock. A year passed by the former Vikings’ second-rounder.
And then the phone rang.
“It was breathtaking,” said Johnson, who signed with the Falcons on Sunday. “I wasn’t mentally ever done with it. … I thought it was over but it ain’t over until God says it’s over.”
The Falcons brought in Johnson after safety Dwight Lowery sustained a head injury and was put in concussion protocol. Zeke Motta is out with a neck injury and rookie Dezmen Southward is nursing a tweaked knee.
Head coach Mike Smith said Johnson’s versatility in the secondary appealed to the Falcons in light of their injuries at the free safety spot.
“We did a lot of work on him when he was coming out (of college),” Smith said. “It was our first draft class (2008) and I do remember spending lots of time on him. We know what he is in terms of being able to play both strong and free safety.”
Whether at free safety, strong safety or on special teams, Johnson is just happy to have another shot on the field. But he knows getting back to league shape and speed will take more than two days — which is how much time he’s spent with the Falcons.
“(I’m) a little rusty on the coverages and stuff but that’s expected,” Johnson said. “When you’re older you really don’t stress yourself out about the small things because you know that they’ll come.”
Smith said he’s confident he and his staff can get Johnson caught up quickly. He didn’t spend the last year on a couch after all. He spent it in a gym.
Even so, after Monday’s combined practice with the Titans’ Johnson looked drained. He blinked furiously as sweat poured over his brow and into his eyes.
“You can do whatever you want on your own but football pace and football cuts are completely different,” Johnson said. “No amount of training is going to get you ready to come out here and play a football game. To play football you’ve got to play football.”
