Josh Johnson was supposed to be a backup QB once before for Mike LaFleur at State Farm Stadium. That was back in 2020, when the 49ers were beat up and needed Johnson -- on their practice squad at the time -- to elevate up behind C.J. Beathard.
But this was 2020 and unfortunately for Johnson, he tested positive for Covid and missed the game. (Fun fact: Scrambling for a non-Covid backup, the 49ers signed Josh Rosen for that game against the Cardinals.)
The next season, LaFleur was the offensive coordinator in New York with the Jets. Johnson was on the practice squad and then Joe Flacco got traded, Zach Wilson got hurt and Mike White also got hurt. Johnson had to come into a game against the Colts and threw for 317 yards and three touchdowns in relief.
So yeah, there was a reason LaFleur had comfort in bringing in Johnson, who is playing for his 15th different NFL team since coming into the league in 2008. He will backup rookie Carson Beck on Sunday.
"He's done that for a lot of different teams," said LaFleur, who is a year younger than Johnson.
"He knows me," LaFleur added. "Then it's just like, 'Hey, we used to call it this in New York,' but he's been around so much in so many different systems. It's just word association at that point (of) what are our cadences? And just getting used to these guys.
"He'll be a great resource in there too. If he has to go play, he'll go sling it around. He's never been shy in that, but he'll also be an awesome backup for Carson going into this game and just being good eyes and being good ears for him."
Johnson has "gratitude" for LaFleur's trust in him, knowing the coach can turn to him in this situation.
"He appreciated our time, he paid attention to the work I put in, and the times when I did need to play, I played well for him," Johnson said. "I'm grateful he remembered that, and when he needed to find a quarterback, I was a no-brainer."
Johnson, who turned 40 in May, sees his role as backup and mentor to Beck. He was on the Bengals practice squad when the Cardinals came calling -- some eight years after he thought the NFL would be done with him.
"My career was pretty much almost over," Johnson said. "These situations saved me. I got caught in the cycle my fourth or fifth year and then teams would sign me off the street and I would handle those situations well.
"I thought my career was over with the Redskins in 2018, but then it was, 'You gotta go play.' Those experiences helped me. I was able to narrow my focus to what is important, which is what you need to know to get ready for a game. Now it's the testament to my career. I've been a backup. A starter. A practice squad guy. An off-the-street guy. Kind of just what it is."
