Antonio Rico Johnson (born December 8, 1984) is a former

American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...

nose tackle A defensive tackle (DT) is a position in American football that will typically line up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the offensive guards, however he may also line up opposite one of the tackles. Defensive tackles are typically the la ...

. He was drafted by the

Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division, and play their h ...

in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He has also played for the

Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...

. He played

college football College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. Unlike most ...

Mississippi State Mississippi State University for Agriculture and Applied Science, commonly known as Mississippi State University (MSU), is a public land-grant research university adjacent to Starkville, Mississippi. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Univers ...

College career

He played

defensive tackle A defensive tackle (DT) is a position in American football that will typically line up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the offensive guards, however he may also line up opposite one of the tackles. Defensive tackles are typically the la ...

Mississippi Delta Community College Mississippi Delta Community College is a public community college serving the Mississippi Delta region with its main campus in Moorhead, Mississippi. It also offers courses at locations in Greenville, Greenwood, and Indianola. Its mascot is th ...

for two years earning honorable mention

All-America The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...

honors before transferring to

Mississippi State University Mississippi State University for Agriculture and Applied Science, commonly known as Mississippi State University (MSU), is a public land-grant research university adjacent to Starkville, Mississippi. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Unive ...

to play from 2003 to 2006.

Professional career

Tennessee Titans

The

drafted Johnson as the 152nd overall pick in 2007 NFL Draft. He was given the number 96 by the Titans. On August 1, 2007, Johnson tore his ACL while participating in

training camp A training camp is an organized period in which military personnel or athletes participate in a rigorous and focused schedule of training in order to learn or improve skills. Athletes typically utilise training camps to prepare for upcoming events, ...

drills and was forced to miss his entire rookie season. Johnson spent the first nine weeks of the 2008 regular season on the Titans' practice squad.

Indianapolis Colts

Johnson was signed to the

' active roster from the

practice squad In sports, the practice squad, also called the taxi squad or practice roster, is a group of players signed by a team but not part of their main roster. Frequently used in gridiron football, they serve as extra players during the team's practices, ...

on November 4, 2008.

Tennessee Titans (second stint)

On May 13, 2013, Johnson agreed to terms with the

, reuniting him with the team that drafted him. Johnson was on hiatus from football in 2014.

New England Patriots

On December 31, 2014, Johnson signed a future/reserve contract with the

New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...

. Johnson was released on August 27, 2015.

References

External links

Indianapolis Colts bioMississippi State Bulldogs bioTennessee Titans bioAntonio Johnson Instagram
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Antonio 1984 births Living people Sportspeople from Greenville, Mississippi American football defensive tackles Mississippi State Bulldogs football players Tennessee Titans players Indianapolis Colts players New England Patriots players Players of American football from Mississippi