MINNEAPOLIS -- Dumped by the team he helped lead to a Super
Bowl championship two short years ago, Brad Johnson has returned to
the place where his career began.
"As the world turns," Johnson said.
The quarterback agreed to terms on Wednesday with the Minnesota
Vikings on a four-year contract worth $6 million, including a $1.2
million signing bonus.
He will replace Gus Frerotte, who signed with Miami earlier in
the week, as Daunte Culpepper's backup. For a player that began as
a late-round draft pick in Minnesota 13 seasons ago, his career has
come full circle.
"I thought about Fran Tarkenton," Johnson said of the Hall of
Fame quarterback. "He started in Minnesota for six years, left and
then came back for six more. I loved Minnesota when I was there. My
most fond memories are from Minnesota."
With Frerotte gone, the Vikings needed a proven player at No. 2,
with third-stringer Shaun Hill lacking experience.
Johnson helped lead Tampa Bay out of obscurity to the Super Bowl
title after the 2002 season. But he was cut earlier this month in a
cost-saving move, immediately putting him at the top of the
Vikings' wish list given his skills and familiarity with the team.
"He's a great person, he knows our offense and he'll be a real
nice addition to our football team," Vikings vice president of
football operations Rob Brzezinski said. "He's also a great
presence in the locker room."
Drafted by the Vikings in the ninth round in 1992 out of Florida
State, Johnson worked his way up through the practice squad and
became Warren Moon's backup in 1994. He took over the starting job
in 1997, only to lose it to Randall Cunningham the next season
after an injury in September.
Johnson was traded to Washington the following spring for the
Redskins' first-round draft pick, a selection Minnesota used to
take Culpepper.
After spending two years as the starter in Washington, Johnson
joined Tampa Bay for "the most incredible experience of my
career" with the Super Bowl run in 2002. But he lost 10 of his
last 13 starts with the Buccaneers, including his last six. He was
benched by Tampa Bay after four games last season and fell to third
on its depth chart.
"It's not just me," Johnson said of his unceremonious
departure from Tampa. "Look at (GM) Rich McKay. He grew up there
and he's gone. Warren Sapp. Gone. John Lynch. Gone. Keyshawn
Johnson. Gone. The organization is going in a different
direction."
When he first hit the market, the 36-year-old was looking to go
to a team where he could compete for a starting job. But he quickly
realized that would be difficult to find.
"I looked at some teams, but there are so many young
quarterbacks out there," Johnson said. "There are not a lot of
starters' jobs to go around."
So he settled for a backup role in a familiar locale.
"I'd love to start," Johnson said. "This is a unique
situation for me and a unique situation for the Vikings. It's a
good fit for all of us."
The desire to start not withstanding, Johnson said he is
perfectly content yielding to the Pro Bowler Culpepper.
"If I didn't respect him as a player, I would have no part of
coming to Minnesota," Johnson said. "That eases the situation."
And, as Johnson found out in his first stint with the Vikings,
he is only one play away from stepping on the field.
"I feel very confident in my ability to play and get the job
done," Johnson said. "But for me to play, something terrible
would have to happen, and I certainly would never wish for that."
In the end, the friendly faces in Minnesota, coupled with what
he sees as a team on the rise, was enough to convince him to give
it another shot here.
"It's kind of old hat," Johnson said. "It's a nice
feeling."