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Anthony Johnson had been waiting for years for the moment.
Just before noon on Sunday, public-address announcer Bill Jartz introduced the Green Bay Packers’ starters on defense.
At safety, from Iowa State, Anthony Johnson!
“Man, it was great,” Johnson said after making a huge impact in the Packers’ 20-3 victory. “It was great to hear my name and great to run out there. I actually cried on the field. It was a very emotional moment for me. Man, I was thankful for that.”
Johnson certainly isn’t new to being a starter. The native of St. Petersburg, Fla., started the final 53 games of a five-year college career. For Johnson, the goal wasn’t just to get to the NFL, which he did as a seventh-round pick in this year’s draft. It was to make the team. To make an impact.
To be a starter.
“I don’t think I was really surprised,” he said. “I think I knew it was going to happen. It was a lot of hard work. I put a lot into this game. To get rewarded, it means a lot.”
Johnson didn’t have much time to hit the reset button. The Packers won the toss and deferred. The game started with Johnson on the field.
“I just locked back in,” he said. “Once the national anthem was over, it’s time to play ball. I got the jitters out, I got the emotion out. As a player, don’t let it consume you.”
Johnson’s debut was excellent. With Rudy Ford inactive with a calf injury, Johnson helped stop the Rams’ only scoring drive of the first half by delivering a jarring shot to Rams tight end Tyler Higbee that forced an incompletion. Then, early in the fourth quarter with the Packers protecting a 10-3 lead, he was in the right place at the right time to grab Jaire Alexander’s deflection for his first career interception.
The Packers turned that into a field goal to take a two-score lead.
Which was his favorite play?
Neither.
Rather, it was being part of plays made by the starting cornerbacks, Alexander and fellow seventh-round rookie Carrington Valentine.
“My favorite play of the day was probably celebrating with Ja Money and CV,” he said. “Just to see the fire and intensity and the fun that they were having – the whole defense was having – that was probably the best part.”
Important to note in Johnson’s strong debut is he really hadn’t played since the preseason. While Valentine had three starts under his belt before Sunday, Johnson was inactive for the first five games, then played four snaps on defense against the Broncos and Vikings the previous two weeks.
On Sunday, he played all 58.
“I was proud of the way he came out there and played,” said safety Jonathan Owens, whose sack and strip of Brett Rypien set up the Packers for the opening touchdown. “Got his first interception, and that does great for your confidence. …
“I could see that look in his eye. He was ready. He didn’t flinch. He went out there and tackled when he was supposed to, had a pass breakup, interception. I was happy for him.”
Johnson prepared all week to be a starter, just as he’d prepared the previous weeks. He didn’t know he’d get the call Ford until was ruled out by the team on Sunday morning.
There might be similar uncertainty this week for Johnson, who is the only safety on the roster under contract past this season.
“When you prepare, everything’s fine,” Johnson said. “When you prepare to win, you prepare to start or you prepare to do your best, it doesn’t matter if you’re in the game early or if you’re in the game late. You’re going to make the most of your opportunities.”
More must-reads:
- Vikings' J.J. McCarthy wanted one team to draft him
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- The 'AP First-Team All-Pro tight ends' quiz
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