Only six players in NFL history completed at least 60 percent of their passes in 13-straight seasons. Five of them are obvious — Aaron Rodgers, Philip Rivers, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and Tom Brady. But the sixth? That'd be former NFL quarterback Brad Johnson, who was the first to accomplish the feat between 1995 and 2007. Johnson reached two Pro Bowls in his career — one with the Washington Redskins and another with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — and helped lead the Bucs to victory in Super Bowl XXXVII alongside head coach Jon Gruden.
It's safe to say Johnson knows a thing or two about being a successful signal caller, which he passed down to his son, Max.
After commanding the huddle for Ed Orgeron's LSU Tigers, the southpaw QB is set to join his brother at a different SEC West school.
Max Johnson Transfers to Texas A&M
Thankful! Let?s go! @AggieFootball @Hayesfawcett3 #GigEm #12thMan pic.twitter.com/VoLRUNnqfV
— Max Johnson (@MaxJohnson14) December 17, 2021
RELATED: Nation's No. 1 TE, Son of Super Bowl Champ, Flips From SEC Rival to Texas A&M
Former LSU Quarterback Max Johnson entered the NCAA transfer portal barely a week removed from the Tigers hiring Notre Dame's Brian Kelly as Orgeron's replacement.
His younger brother Jake Johnson, a former LSU commit and the No. 1 tight end recruit in the country, decommited at the same time. Jake announced he was signing with the Texas A&M Aggies, who boast the top recruiting class in college football, on early signing day.
The Johnsons were fully committed to playing together. So, when his younger brother pledged to the Aggies, it came as little surprise that Max followed him.
The addition of Johnson gives Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher plenty of options at quarterback next season. Haynes King is the presumed starter but suffered an ankle injury in Week 2 that sidelined him the rest of the year. Five-star recruit Conner Weigman is a highly-touted newcomer who fans will want to see.
Zach Calzada, who played the majority of the season and led the upset win over Alabama, won't be returning after he announced he was entering the transfer portal.
Max Johnson at LSU
Kevin Langley/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
LSU quarterback Myles Brennan was named Joe Burrow's successor after his Heisman Trophy and National Championship campaign.
Brennan's spent three games under center in 2020 before he went down with an abdominal injury. Johnson split time with TJ Finley, who's now at Auburn, but the true freshman took over full time the last two games of the season against Florida and Ole Miss.
Johnson shined in the 37-34 upset over Florida on the road, throwing for 239 yards and three touchdowns while adding 52 yards on the ground. He stayed hot against Ole Miss in a 53-48 shootout victory, throwing for 435 yards and three touchdowns with three scores on the ground.
The Tiger offense looked explosive when Johnson was out there. Most importantly, he led the team to two wins.
Brennan was primed to come back healthy in 2021, however, he broke his left arm preparing for a fishing trip prior to fall camp. Johnson took over as the starting quarterback, throwing for 2,814 yards and 27 touchdowns against six interceptions while leading LSU to a 6-6 record.
Fisher has to feel confident knowing he has someone in his quarterback room with major SEC experience.
Max Johnson Recruiting & Highlights
A native of Watkinsville, Georgia, Max Johnson was a unanimous four-star prospect by every major recruiting service. The 247Sports Composite ranked Johnson as the No. 10 pro style quarterback of the 2020 recruiting cycle, while ESPN ranked the 6-foot-5 gunslinger as the No. 14 overall player in Georgia.
The Oconee County High School grad was named Georgia's Region 8 Player of the Year after racking up over 2,000 passing yards, completing 66 percent of his passes, and accounting for 35 total touchdowns during his senior season. The Oconee County Warriors finished the 2019 season with a 13-2 record, but fell to Blessed Trinity in the Class AAAA state championship game.
Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Michigan, Ohio State, Tennessee and Texas A&M were among the schools offering scholarships to the prized quarterback recruit, but LSU received a verbal commitment from Johnson in November 2018, and he never wavered.
With a football pedigree that runs deep — former Georgia and Miami head coach Mark Richt is his uncle — it's no surprise Johnson made the most of his opportunities in Baton Rouge.
He'll look to do the same in College Station.
This article was originally published December 18, 2019 before updating.
