On Sunday afternoon, the Cleveland Browns will see a familiar, friendly face on the Jacksonville Jaguars sideline He is Jacksonville Jaguars running back D'Ernest Johnson, 28, better known as "Slow Grind."
Johnson was a staple on the Browns roster from 2019-2022. His story was the stuff of legends. Johnson is a Florida native who went to college at the University of South Florida. When the NFL offers did not come in, Johnson, a 2018 undrafted free agent, spent a year as a fisherman catching mahi-mahi on a fishing boat in South Florida. He did not give up on his dream to play professional football. Johnson called everyone he could to get a tryout.
That first "nibble" came from the Orlando Apollos in the AAF league. When the AAF dissolved, the Browns signed Johnson. His role early on was on special teams. However, he stepped into big shoes and performed well during the 2021 season when both Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt were injured.
Fisherman turned NFL star @DernestJohnson2 joins us to talk about his journey to the NFL and gets an emotional surprise from his high school. pic.twitter.com/e3sf8USMv6
— TODAY with Hoda & Jenna (@HodaAndJenna) February 11, 2022
Browns fans still love "Slow Grind." The reality is that the Browns team could use Johnson right about now. The roster is light on healthy running backs just as it was in 2022 when he rushed for 534 yards and three touchdowns as RB3.
Jim Donovan calling @DernestJohnson2's first rushing TD 🔥 pic.twitter.com/yoz32QkPRb
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) October 25, 2021
