Former Houston Texans receiver Andre Johnson was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday.
Johnson joins a 2019 class that features Jason Witten, Nancy Lieberman, Tony Franklin, Loyd Phillips, Greg Swindell, and the late Maureen Connolly Brinker.
The former All-Pro receiver was very thankful to be the first Texan to represent the franchise in the state’s hall of fame.
“It’s truly humbling, you know any time you can be put in the hall of fame no matter where or what it is it’s truly humbling,” said Johnson. “I tell people all the time, when I came to Houston I just knew it was a new organization, and I just wanted to do everything I an in order to help put that organization on the map.”
Johnson was the third overall pick for the Texans in the 2003 NFL draft, a consolation for a 4-12 inaugural season. It took seven seasons before Johnson experienced a winning campaign, and another two after that before the franchise qualified for their first postseason.
After a successful 2004 season where Johnson caught 79 passes for 1,142 yards and six touchdowns during the team’s 7-9 season, the former Miami Hurricane recalls how little respect the Texans received in their early years.
“The first Pro Bowl I went to, they would call you in order of teams, and when they announced the Houston Texans, I remember a guy saying ‘who in the hell is here from the Houston Texans?’ So that was something I always took very personally, and I was like something has to change.”
By the time Johnson left the club in 2015, the Texans had qualified for the playoffs twice, won two AFC South titles, and collected two playoff wins. The tide definitely changed while Johnson was lined out wide for Houston for 12 seasons.
