Rob Johnson: podcast appearances and interviews

Rob Johnson is the Head of Digital and Content at the Institute for New Economic Thinking. He is a former professional football player who played as a quarterback in the National Football League. Johnson played college football for the USC Trojans, where he was part of the team that won the 1995 Cotton Bowl Classic. He was selected in the fourth round of the 1995 NFL draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Johnson made a notable start in his debut with the Jaguars in 1997, during an opening game when he replaced an injured Mark Brunell and achieved a record for the best completion percentage by a debuting starting quarterback.

He signed a $25 million contract with the Buffalo Bills the following season and was named the starting quarterback by coach Wade Phillips. Johnson's career with the Bills was marked by injuries and frequent sacks, leading to a reputation that earned him the nickname "Robo-sack." His injuries and inconsistent performance resulted in his replacement by Doug Flutie, although he was controversially started in the 2000 Wild Card playoff game at the instruction of Bills owner Ralph Wilson. After two losing seasons in Buffalo, Johnson joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2002 and was part of the team that won the Super Bowl as a backup quarterback. He later played for the Washington Redskins and Oakland Raiders in 2003, and attempted to join the New York Giants in 2006 and the Tennessee Titans in 2008.

Following his playing career, Johnson transitioned into coaching and became an assistant football coach at Mission Viejo High School in 2004, working alongside his brother under their father as head coach.