Keyshawn Johnson

NFL Analyst

Keyshawn Johnson, the former Super Bowl champion and All Pro wide receiver, joined ESPN in 2007 as an NFL studio analyst the same day he announced his retirement from the National Football League.  He appears on both Sunday NFL Countdown and Monday Night Countdown, and he contributes weekly columns to ESPN.com and to ESPN Radio’s new weekly NFL show hosted by Chris Mortensen and Bill Parcells, his former coach and fellow ESPN analyst.   

Johnson, a key player in ESPN’s year-round NFL presentation, including NFL Draft and Super Bowl week coverage, also serves as a guest host on ESPN and ESPN Radio programs.  His on-air contributions extend beyond football through personality and issue-oriented features and as part of major event coverage on both ESPN and ABC.  While still a member of the Carolina Panthers, Johnson made his debut as a guest analyst on ESPN’s main set during the 2007 NFL Draft.  He also recently participated in the SportsCenter Who’s Now series, as he, Kirk Herbstreit and Michael Wilbon helped determine the “Ultimate Sports Star.”

The top overall pick by the New York Jets in the 1996 NFL Draft, Johnson played for four teams – Jets (1996-99), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2000-03), Dallas Cowboys (2004-05) and Panthers (2006) – during his 11 NFL seasons.  One of the most productive receivers of his era, Johnson had 814 receptions for 10,571 yards and 64 touchdowns in 167 games.  The three-time Pro Bowler helped lead the Buccaneers to a win in Super Bowl XXXVII.  In his final season in 2006, he caught 70 passes for 815 yards and four touchdowns, becoming just the 16th player in league history with 800 career receptions.

A Los Angeles native, Johnson grew up near the USC campus and was a two-time All-American at Southern Cal under legendary head coach John Robinson.  (He also served as a Trojans ball-boy for six years during his youth.)  Johnson ranks among USC’s all-time great receivers with 168 catches for 2,796 yards and 16 TDs.  Johnson had a school-best 17 100-yard receiving games during his career, including 11 consecutive regular season games, still an NCAA record.  He caught a Pac-10 record 102 passes in 1995 and led the Trojans to a Rose Bowl win with 12 catches for a record 216 yards and one touchdown to earn MVP honors.  Prior to USC, Johnson was a Junior College All-American at West Los Angeles College.

Johnson has hosted a weekly radio show, “Taking it to the House,” on Sirius Satellite Radio, and he wrote the book "Just Give Me the Damn Ball!: The Fast Times and Hard Knocks of an NFL Rookie” with ESPN’s Shelley Smith.  He earned a bachelor’s degree in history from USC in 1996, and he remains active in various charitable organizations, including “Key’s Kids” -- a program which rewards academic achievement and provides opportunities to inner city and underprivileged kids.  Johnson also provides assistance to local charities through his corporation, Keyshawn, Inc., and he is also actively involved in community development projects in Los Angeles and other parts of the country.