{ Find out what Andre Johnson wants to do next, his memories of Sean Taylor and much more. }
If Andre Johnson isn’t the best wide receiver in the NFL right now, he is certainly among the few names in the conversation. Just ask him. We did. Coming off an 11-reception, 207-yard, one-touchdown game in a 13-12 win over the Titans, the Houston Texans star was just named to his third Pro Bowl in six NFL seasons. Johnson leads the league in receptions (103) and receiving yards (1,408). In this exclusive Q&A with NFLPLAYERS.COM, Johnson singles out the receivers he admires, talks about his next career goal and explains the work of his foundation.
Q: Do you think you’re the best wide receiver in the game today?
A: I think I am, but everyone has their own opinion. I really don’t get caught up in that; I just go out and play. I just let my play do the talking. I don’t worry about what everyone else has to say. I just go out and play football.
Q: Which other receivers, either now or in the past, do you admire?
A: I watch a lot of receivers in the league now. I watch Randy Moss. I watch Terrell Owens. I love to watch Anquan Boldin play. I love the way Steve Smith plays because he’s a small guy with a big heart. Greg Jennings, Roddy White, those guys that really picked their games up. There are a lot of guys that I watch and I’m fans of all of them.
Q: Some of those guys you mentioned are either deep threats down the field or ones that come across the middle. You, however, seem to be a blend of both. Can you talk about your skill set and if you agree with that?
A: Yeah, I agree with it. You might as well go out and catch the ball because you’re going to get hit anyway. That’s the mindset I have. I’m pretty sure all those other guys have the same mindset. Those guys are ... playing really well for their teams. Hopefully we can all make it over to the Pro Bowl this year.
Q: Having been in the league since 2003, have you done everything you’ve wanted to do?
A: I think I have. I think the injuries have set me back a little bit, but other than that, I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. It was always a goal of mine to make it to the NFL, and I feel like I’ve been performing pretty well since I’ve been here. I’ve enjoyed every minute of it since I’ve been in the league.
Q: What’s the next goal for Andre Johnson?
A: Hopefully to get to the playoffs and win the Super Bowl. That’s the only thing I care about. All the catches and the yards—all that doesn’t really matter in the long run. Yeah, it’s nice to have those, but I just want to win a Super Bowl, so that’s my biggest goal.
Q: So how do the Texans (7-7) take that step?
A: We just have to become more consistent as a team. I think we’re doing that now, even though it’s late in the season. I think we’re starting to do that. I think we’re getting better as a football team and learning a lot about each other, and I think it’s showing when we go out and play.
Q: Coming from the University of Miami, what are your memories of Sean Taylor and what will you remember most about him?
A: Sean was a great player. It was a very bad thing that happened and I think it kind of caught everyone off-guard. He was a heck of an athlete. I played against him in high school. Just for him to be my teammate was the biggest thing I’ll cherish because he was such a great player. I think he probably could have been one of the greatest safeties to ever play the game and it was very unfortunate what happened to him.
Q: You started the Andre Johnson Foundation in 2003, your rookie year. What led to the creation of this foundation and tell me a little bit about its purpose and goals?
A: It basically helps single-parent homes. It lets kids know that I grew up in a single-parent home and it lets them know that they can go out and accomplish their goals despite that.
Q: What kind of feedback have you gotten from kids while working with your foundation?
A: I’ve gotten a lot of feedback. Most of the kids that I work with have been underprivileged. When you first get around them, it kind of takes them a while to open up to you. I think it’s great to be able to give back and help kids who are in that situation.
Q: Does your foundation have any big holiday plans or events coming up?
A: Last year for Christmas, I had about 15 underprivileged kids from foster homes and things like that who really don’t receive anything for the holidays. I took all of them to Toys-R-Us and I first let them walk around the store and see where everything was. Then I let them run through the store and get whatever they wanted in a minute and a half. I gave them whatever game system they wanted, whether it was the Xbox or Playstation 3.
Q: Is performing community service something that you think all professional athletes should make a part of their lives?
A: You really can’t control everybody else, but I think guys should think about it. I know a lot of guys who are doing a lot of work in the community, but not everyone gets recognition for it. Some guys really don’t have to have recognition for it. I’m one of those guys … and I’m just enjoying what I’m doing.