The 49ers are bringing back a familiar face.
With Jimmy Garoppolo done for the season, Brock Purdy took over the starting job. Former Colts quarterback Jacob Eason sits on the practice squad, but the 49ers needed additional depth, especially of the veteran variety.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, they’ve found that in Josh Johnson.
This is Johnson’s third stint with the 49ers. He played with his former University of San Diego head coach Jim Harbaugh on the 2014 49ers squad and was on the team’s practice squad in that 2020 season.
Shanahan raved about Johnson last season, when he led a near-comeback for the New York Jets against the Indianapolis Colts.
“Josh was, I think he was going in to make it a one-score game with like two minutes left,” Shanahan said. “And I saw how frustrated he was when they got that, I think it was a pick. But Josh is a competitor, I was real happy for him. Just that he got in and got the opportunity that he gave them a chance to come back and win and just watching him on how crushed he was on that turnover at the end. Just shows you the type of competitor he is.”
Johnson, at 36, is one of the truest journeymen of the NFL. He’s been with 13 teams, featuring three stints with the 49ers, and two with the Jets, Bengals and Ravens.
In 37 career games, Johnson has thrown for 2,270 yards with 13 TDs and and 16 INTs.
