There seem to be three certainties in life: death, taxes, and quarterback Josh Johnson continuing to find work in the NFL.
Johnson is familiar to Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans for his four-year stint with the team that started back in 2008, and he's been winding his way through the league ever since. It's not just the NFL where Johnson has consistently found work for the better part of the last two decades, as he's one of the only quarterbacks to have played games in the NFL, USFL, and XFL during his career.
He's showing absolutely no signs of stopping, either.
Johnson hasn't been a starter in ages -- the last time coming for the Ravens back in 2021 --but he's managed to carve out a very valuable role as a career backup. It's that position that has led to him signing a one-year deal in free agency to join Jayden Daniels quarterback room in Washington.
Former Buccaneers quarterback returns on a free agent deal for his 18th season in the NFL
NFL insider John Keim was the first to report the news.
Washington is signing QB Josh Johnson to a one-year deal, per source. Johnson started three games for Washington in 2018. He played two games in 2022 with San Francisco when Washington GM Adam Peters was then an assistant GM.
— John Keim (@john_keim) April 11, 2025
He was a fifth-round pick for the Bucs back in 2008, becoming the last in a long line of quarterback projects Jon Gruden brought into his shop to try and turn into the next capital-G Guy. That didn't happen with Johnson -- nor anyone Gruden drafted, for that matter -- and his time with the Bucs ended up being rather unremarkable.
In three seasons he totaled just 1,042 yards and five touchdowns while throwing 10 interceptions.Not exactly the ratio anyone is looking for, but that's thankfully not where his career came to an end. In fact, Johnson is entering his 18th season in the league and will have now played for 13 different teams during that time.
This will be his second stint with Washington, but technically the first with the Commanders since they were called something else his first time around.
He won't be starting unless something horrible happens, but that's not why Dan Quinn is bringing him in. Johnson has a wealth of knowledge from working in various different offensive schemes over his career and is a perfect veteran to help teach Daniels the way.
It's also a reminder to everyone out there not to give up, because there's no greater attribute to have than resilience. Johnson and his seemingly endless career in football is proof of that.
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