30 Picks in 30 Days - Day #6 - 1985 NFL Draft 2nd Round pick - WR Vance Johnson

by John Bena on Apr 2, 2009 12:25 PM MDT in 2009 NFL Draft Comment 9 comments

Once again the Jay Cutler madness threw me off-course. I am back, however with a look at the Broncos 2nd Round pick, #31 overall, WR Vance Johnson.

One of the original '3 Amigos', a receiving tandem for the Broncos that included Ricky Nattiel and Mark Jackson, Johnson spent 11 years in the NFL, all as a Bronco. His 415 receptions rank 5th all-time on the Broncos list, which include his best season - 1989 - when the former U. of Arizona star grabbed 76 passes for 1,095 yards and 7 touchdowns.

He played in 3 Super Bowls with the Broncos, including an impressive performance in Super Bowl XXI when Johnson made 5 catches for 121 yards and a score.

Things got tougher for Johnson after leaving football, especially after the sudden death of his oldest son in late 2007. Vaughn Edward was killed in September 2007 after his motorcycle collided with a SUV. He was 19.

Johnson has had several issues, specifically financial since his playing days ended.

With one year left on his contract in 1993, he was scheduled to make $750,000. But then he was traded to the Minnesota Vikings, got cut by that team and then signed again with the Broncos — for $275,000.

Johnson was also on the hook for paying more than $100,000 a year in alimony and child support.

He later signed a $2.4 million contract with the San Diego Chargers — complete with a $850,000 signing bonus — in 1994. But then he was cut by the team.

He also was scheduled to release a book that year. In the book, he wrote about how he beat his first wife unconscious, rammed his car into his second wife's vehicle and went to jail and fathered seven children by various women.

During the release of the book, he offered several tearful apologies for his past behavior and donated $3,000 to The Gathering Place, a group that helps battered women.

In 1995, he was working for a trucking company in Fort Collins and told the Rocky he was pulling in less than $3,000 a month — though at the time he had gotten counseling and acknowledged his abusive and reckless nature. That was also the same year he signed with the Broncos for the last time, making $275,000 a year and getting a $25,000 signing bonus.

For me, all his personal troubles aside, I will always remember Johnson streaking down the sidelines in a 1992 playoff game against the Houston Oilers, The Drive Part 2. One of my Top-3 Broncos plays ever.

Johnson owns a restaurant in Parachute, CO.

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Ahhhhhhhhhh

So nice to focus on something else!

Thanks for continuing to post this stuff.

by Elway's Ghost on Apr 2, 2009 12:27 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

I had to listen to the Oilers game on the radio,

so the I think of Vance first on different play. One of my three or four favorite games to have attended was Elway’s famous 2 score with 2 minutes left comeback against the Chiefs. Vance caught the winning score sliding out of bounds in the south end zone. That was a great catch.

Vance was a good receiver made a lot better by a great QB. He had the right skill set for John’s improvising genius.

by jaffe28 on Apr 2, 2009 12:40 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Don't eat at VJ's

for real, it’s nasty food. He’s a nice guy though.

Peyton Hillis in '09!

It's simple math, the Denver Broncos will succeed in 2009 with the addition of 20, but minus 6.

by Joe Medina on Apr 2, 2009 12:55 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Perfect antidote to McMediagate

Thanks for reminding me how huge and unassailable is the world that is Denver Broncos football.

"THIS IS SPARTA!!!" -- papigrande

"The cutsper gives up 100 000 dollars guy, come on custper you should show up and then give the 100 000 dollar to me so I can put down payment on the bronco cheerleader retire home where they can sit and eat all kind of pizza and chip and not have to worry any more about make for little waist in off seasnoal" -- Horvil Tiki

by broncosmontana on Apr 2, 2009 1:15 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

The Three Amigos--reminds me how Elway made everyone around him better....

Go Broncos

Real Power, comes with the realization that One cannot change the Moment;
only ones perception of it: Atitude! JQM

by UB3 on Apr 2, 2009 1:59 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Damn, $100,000 a year

You know it’s funny, my only image of him (outside of football) was his art, I had thought he was doing well in the art world, very interesting indeed. Really bugs me when you see these guys waste their talents on their personnel choices, Bradon Marshall may want to ask Vance a question or two.

"Me fail english, that unpossible" - Ralph Wiggum
"Duffman is thrusting in the direction of the problem" - Duffman
"Good, bad, I'm the one with the gun, A-hole" - Ash from Army of Darkness

by Broncoman on Apr 2, 2009 2:02 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Enough with the Brandon Marshall stories....eep! I misread the name...

BMarsh, get your head on straight man! We need you now more than ever! Vance Johnson was my favorite of the three amigos and that 1992 Divisional playoff game play was one of my favorites as well.

Verbose in style, dispersion of thought, procrastination in life.

by Tim Lynch on Apr 2, 2009 2:03 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

My only image of Vance now

is him pulling up to his restaurant in a silver Porsche he can’t afford to talk to people that actually make more money than he does.

Peyton Hillis in '09!

It's simple math, the Denver Broncos will succeed in 2009 with the addition of 20, but minus 6.

by Joe Medina on Apr 2, 2009 2:03 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

That was the draft

that we took Steve Sewell #1. He turned out to be a decent player, but we should have taken our other second round pick, Simon Fletcher, #1 that year. You should have done this thing about him instead of the Vance.

by PABroncofan on Apr 2, 2009 7:16 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs