Andre Johnson’s name resonates through NFL history as a receiver who defined an era for the Houston Texans.
Drafted third overall in 2003, Johnson quickly transformed from a promising rookie into a bonafide football superstar. His career wasn’t just impressive – it was legendary.
Seven Pro Bowl selections and four First-Team All-Pro honors speak volumes about Johnson’s dominance on the field.
His 2008 season set a Texans’ record for most receptions, while in 2009, he led the entire league with 1,569 receiving yards.
Yet, for all his on-field achievements, Johnson harbors a profound personal reflection about his career trajectory.
During a candid moment on “The Pivot” podcast, Johnson opened up about his deepest professional regret.
“I tell people that if I could do it all over, I still would have never left. I just would have never played in Indy and in Tennessee,” he shared. “When you’ve been somewhere for so long, and then you have to go to a whole another city, you got to figure everything out. You know, here I was routine, you know, it was routine for 12 years.”
“The year I was in Indy…that was probably one of the most miserable times of my life.” Andre Johnson
Having no regrets is always a goal, but Andre Johnson has one—leaving the Texans for the Colts. After building an incredible legacy with the @HoustonTexans Andre struggled… pic.twitter.com/25jA8BWQ53
— Pivot Podcast (@thepivot) December 14, 2024
Leaving behind a well-established routine proved challenging. Johnson had to rebuild everything from scratch – finding new doctors, massage therapists, and establishing a completely new life in unfamiliar cities.
While he appreciated the locker room atmosphere in Indianapolis, the experience remained one of the most difficult periods of his professional life.
His career numbers are nothing short of extraordinary: 1,062 receptions, 14,185 yards, and 70 touchdowns.
These statistics solidified Johnson’s status among the NFL’s elite receivers.
After departing the Texans in 2014, he briefly played for the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans before retiring in 2016.
