'It Really Hit Me': Texans Legend Andre Johnson Honored to Join All-Time Favorites in Hall of Fame
HOUSTON — Houston Texans legend Andre Johnson will become the first player in franchise history inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Johnson established himself as one of the best wide receivers of his generation during his 12-year career in Houston, where he became a seven-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro honoree.
Johnson never thought he would be a Hall of Famer when the Texans made him the No. 3 pick of the 2003 NFL Draft. He always believed he would be a good player. But each time he thought about the Hall of Fame, images of his all-time favorite players came to the forefront.
Texans receiver Andre Johnson (80) runs after a reception against the Tennessee Titans at NRG Stadium.
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The news of Johnson's induction came with "a tremendous feeling." But his Hall of Fame selection did not become authentic until Johnson sat in a room with several of his all-time favorites during a luncheon at the NFL Honors.
"To be now sitting in the room with those guys, it really hit me just going to the luncheon being around all those guys," Johnson said. "Jerry Rice was my favorite wide receiver to watch. Hands down, he’s the best receiver that ever played the game, probably could even be mentioned as one of the greatest players to ever play."
"It wasn’t just wide receivers – Marshall Faulk, Emmitt Smith, Barry Sanders was always my favorite running back. Dan Marino to me is my favorite quarterback to ever play the game. There were a lot of people that I watched just growing up."
Cris Carter made the Hall of Fame knock to Johnson at his house in Houston. The news was emotional, but having Carter deliver the message made the moment more memorable.
Carter, a Hall of Fame inductee in 2013, is another player Johnson admired growing up. The two respective parties had a chance to develop a relationship during Johnson's college days at the University of Miami, where Carter began training the future two-time NFL receptions leader (2006 and 2008).
"Cris Carter – me and him, we go way back," Johnson said. "He was a guy who, he came to watch me at the University of Miami, and at the time, when I met Cris, I wasn’t even playing. I was sitting behind Santana Moss and Reggie Wayne. I was playing special teams."
"I don’t know what it was he saw... but he was just like, ‘Man, you’re going to be a real special player.’ So, when I got the knock and opened the door and I saw him, he was sitting there in his gold jacket. I was just like, ‘Man.’ If you saw the knock, I just turned away and walked off. I was just in disbelief. I couldn’t believe it.”
The Pro Football Hall of Fame will not be the first time Johnson will have his name next to his all-time favorites.
Johnson finished his career ranked 11th all-time for most receiving yards with 14,185. In 2009, while leading the Texans to their first winning season with a 9-7 record, he became the second player in history to lead the NFL in receiving yards in back-to-back seasons. He joined his idol Rice, who first achieved the feat in 1990.
