Juwan Johnson’s Unshakable Loyalty: Why He Chose to Stay with the Saints
Juwan Johnson never wanted to leave the New Orleans Saints so he made sure he didn’t.
On Monday, the fifth-year tight end spoke to the media for the first time since inking a three-year contract extension, ensuring he could continue the journey he began as an undrafted receiver in 2020. His transformation into a productive veteran tight end has been nothing short of remarkable.
“Coming in with just a $10,000 signing bonus, I bet the guys upstairs never thought they’d be signing me for $20 million (guaranteed),” Johnson said. “It’s a testament to trusting God being faithful with little so I could be faithful with much.”
Originally a receiver at Oregon, Johnson played the position for his first two NFL seasons, recording 17 catches for 198 yards and four touchdowns. But his career took off after transitioning to tight end. In 2022, he hauled in a career-best seven touchdowns, and last season, he set personal highs in receptions (50) and receiving yards (548), adding three touchdowns while playing all 17 games.
“I just love football,” he said. “I didn’t care where I played in the NFL I just wanted to play. I wanted to build a future for myself and glorify God with my talents. That’s all that mattered. Tight end, defensive end it didn’t matter. I just wanted to stay in the league.”
As a free agent, Johnson had options, but staying in New Orleans took a late-night call to new head coach Kellen Moore.
“I called Kellen around 11 or 12 at night and said, ‘What’s the deal? Why do you guys really want me?’” Johnson recalled. “We had a real conversation, and after hearing his vision, I knew this was where I wanted to be.”
With his future secured, Johnson now aims for a more consistent season from start to finish. Last year, his production surged in the final six games when injuries sidelined key receivers Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. He caught 25 passes for 271 yards and a touchdown during that stretch.
“Honestly, it’s a little frustrating,” he admitted. “I don’t want to be a guy who’s only relied on when others go down. My focus this year is to put together a complete season where I’m a factor from start to finish.”
Johnson knows why the Saints brought him back.
“They’ve seen what I can do at practice on 5800 Airline Drive,” he said. “Now, they want to see that in the Superdome. And that’s exactly what I plan to deliver.”
