Cardinals safety Rashad Johnson has a future in coaching
Arizona Cardinals free safety Rashad Johnson is still playing in the NFL, but he has the tendency to act more like coach than a player sometimes. Johnson is in constant communication with the Cardinals secondary, telling them what he see and how they can improve on every play.
“It’s something that makes me who I am,” Johnson said, via AZCardinals.com. “It makes me that special player that’s vital even if he’s not a Patrick Peterson-type of athlete. Vital because he can help the defense as a whole because he knows the plays. He can help everyone play faster.”
Johnson knows his playing career is coming to an end sooner rather than later. This will be Johnson's seventh NFL season. When he finally does decide to hang them up, he knows coaching is in his future. However, it may not be in the NFL or even college, Johnson is looking at the high school level.
“I would be perfectly fine at a high school because I really have a desire to help young kids grow into men, help them transition, help them understand you can use football to develop character in life,” Johnson said, although he acknowledged, “you can do that at theNFL level as well. You never stop growing.”
Johnson's teammates know coaching is in his future as well. Fellow safety Tony Jefferson said Johnson has a special talent for understanding the NFL game. Something not every NFL player can do.
“He already talks about (coaching) quite a bit,” Jefferson said. The intensity of studying the NFL game is difficult to understand for outsiders and it’s a science Johnson has perfected. Calling out plays – like Johnson did during that OTA – is not an infrequent occurrence.
Johnson will continue to enjoy life in the NFL and concentrate on the season ahead, but believes when he does decide to retire, that there will be an opportunity for him somewhere to continue in the game of football.
“Once my time is over, I really feel the perfect situation will be there for me,” Johnson said.
(h/t Arizona Cardinals)