Johnson dedicating Hall of Fame honor to Houston as first Texan to earn a spot

HOUSTON (AP) — Andre Johnson knows his induction to the Pro Football Hall of Fame isn’t simply about him.

As the first Houston Texan to become a member of the esteemed group, the receiver is representing so much more.

“This was for the whole city of Houston. It’s for the whole organization,” Johnson said. “Just hearing … grown men telling me that they were crying. Having people tell you that God gave us a superhero here in Houston. Those are things that you don’t even realize how people look up to you or (how) you playing that game can affect a city.”

Johnson didn’t join the expansion team until its second year, when he was taken with the third overall pick in the 2003 draft. But he quickly became the star — and face of the fledging franchise.

“I can’t think of anyone more deserving to be the Texans’ first Hall of Fame inductee than Andre Johnson,” Texans owner Cal McNair said. “Every time he took the field, we knew he was bringing an incomparable passion and intensity that was a joy to watch. His impact across our community is immeasurable and we are thrilled he has secured his rightful place in NFL history forever.”

He spent 12 seasons in Houston, where he remains atop the team’s receiving records. He had 1,012 receptions for 13,597 yards and 64 touchdowns and notched 51 100-yard games while with the Texans.

Johnson finished his career with a season each in Indianapolis and Tennessee to reach 14,185 yards receiving, which is the 11th most yards receiving in NFL history.

He had seven 1,000-yard receiving seasons and surpassed 1,500 yards three times, including in 2012 when he piled up a career-high 1,598 yards.

Johnson spent his first three seasons playing for coach Dom Capers, but believes things started to change for him when Gary Kubiak took over in the 2006 season.

Kubiak, Johnson said, told him after his first season in Houston that things were going to be a bit different moving forward.

“He was like: ‘Hey, I’m going to have to move you around. You’re going to have to learn everything that goes on in the offense,’” Johnson said. “And I learned every position. If you look at some games, there was some games I even lined up at fullback and he would motion me out of the backfield.”

Johnson missed seven games with injuries in 2007 before posting some of his best seasons in the next two years. He led the NFL with 1,575 yards receiving in 2008 and topped the league again in 2009 with 1,569 yards.

“I give coach Kubiak a lot of credit because I guess there was just something that he saw in me as a player, and it helped elevate my game,” Johnson said. “It helped take my game to another level.”

For that, he selected Kubiak to present him at the ceremony Saturday.

Johnson led the Texans to their first winning record with his spectacular 2009 season and helped the team to its first playoff berth in 2011 followed by another playoff appearance in 2012.

In those playoff years, Johnson starred on offense and J.J. Watt became the team’s defensive star. The defensive end, who is almost sure to soon join Johnson in the Hall of Fame, beamed as he congratulated his former teammate on the honor in a video released by the Texans.

“Congratulations, you have earned it. You deserve it,” Watt said. “You have a gold jacket and you will now and forever be remembered as one of the greatest players to ever play this game and damn is that rightfully so.”

Johnson, who stills lives in Houston, has been bombarded by fans around town since he was elected to the Hall of Fame. The soft-spoken star normally shies away from attention but has embraced the hubbub during this special time.

And he expects the love that he’s gotten in Houston to continue during his trip to Ohio for the ceremony.

“I already told people in Canton that they better get ready, because Houston’s going to show up and show out,” Johnson said. “But just the love I’ve received from this city and the fans, it’s truly been great. It’s been a fun time.”

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