“I’m Still High Right Now.”
November 11th, 2012
Bucs cornerback Leonard Johnson holds the ball aloft after scoring his pick-six which gave the Bucs the lead for good Sunday.
Bucs defensive back Leonard Johnson went from the depths of depression to the heights of exaltation in a span of not quite 60 minutes of football today.
Early in the game, Johnson went to tackle Chargers receiver Danario Alexander near midfield on a Philip Rivers pass (one of many to come). Johnson came up and wrapped up Alexander and threw him to the ground.
Problem was, Johnson didn’t actually tackle Alexander ,who sort of did a tumble without hitting the ground, jumped up and raced for the end zone.
Fast forward to late in the game with the Chargers seemingly on another scoring drive when Rivers was flushed out of the pocket and looked to be going out of bounds.
“I was running up to cover him,” Johnson said.
Instead of throwing the ball away or running out of bounds, Rivers, inexplicably, threw the ball and hit Johnson right in the numbers.
“I think I hesitated at first because I was shocked,” Johnson said of his pick.
But he wasn’t done. With only one Chargers player to beat, Johnson raced unabated to the end zone, styling Deion Sanders-style the last 20 yards, capping an 83-yard pick-six for what proved to be the winning score in a 34-24 Bucs win.
Johnson had “re-routed” his receiver when Rivers was flushed then defended Rivers in case he tried to gain yardage when Rivers decided, for reasons unknown, to channel his inner Trent Dilfer and throw a terrible, terrible, terrible pass.
“I grabbed ahold of it and I think I hesitated for a second because I was so shocked,” Johnson said. “This is big,” he said to himself as he styled across the goal line. “It was always a play I wanted to make in college. It was my first pick-six, ever. I was excited, really excited.
“It was everything you think of, it was big, even bigger because it put the team in a position to win. It wasn’t just me that made that play. If the quarterback doesn’t get out of the pocket due to pressure, who knows how that game would have turned out?”
The last time Johnson scored a touchdown was when he was quarterback at Largo High School. An offensive touchdown.
Johnson’s head was still swirling about the play after the game. He said he couldn’t remember who he was guarding initially on the play because “I’m still high right now.”
November 11th, 2012 at 6:25 pm
Good for Johnson, but nobody in our secondary should be saying they’re high! lol!
November 11th, 2012 at 6:29 pm
Beat me to it Meh, lol.
November 11th, 2012 at 6:32 pm
He’s still high?
That was a funny quote!! It sounds like he’s saying he’s “high”, as in smoking weed. LOL.
November 11th, 2012 at 6:44 pm
Not really something you want to hear from somebody in our secondary.
November 11th, 2012 at 6:56 pm
I love it!
He gets high off of football!
That’s EXACTLY the type of football player we need.
Look, giving undrafted guys, with the physical tools, chances is great thing if they pan out. They give everything they got trying to make it in the NFL.
Anyone notice L. Lewis getting a pick in his first shot? Man, this is just an awesome football system that Schiano is laying down in Tampa.
November 11th, 2012 at 6:56 pm
“So am I”
– Ahmad Black
November 11th, 2012 at 7:57 pm
Mr. Johnson you can expect drug test first thing tomorrow.
Rookiie mistake 🙂
November 11th, 2012 at 8:30 pm
On that play,Looked to me, that a D- linemen may have gotten a shove in Rivers back as he was throwing. I thought that affected the throw.
November 11th, 2012 at 10:26 pm
Talib, Wright, and Black all recently booked for something drug related. Then Johnson a member of our secondary says this.. I had to laugh! Only because it was funny and I know hes a good guy and wont be getting in any trouble. I really hope Leonard can keep up his strong play cause were going to need him, Wright can’t stay healthy. Biggers, Johnson, L.Lewis as our top 3 cornerbacks if Wright is not able to play next week, If that does happen I see Newton throwing for 325+ yards, but our secondary will keep up there good habit and make splash plays when they are needed.
November 11th, 2012 at 11:25 pm
First pick six ever?!?! Way to go, Johnson.
November 12th, 2012 at 12:20 am
come on. talib and wright weren’t high. they took adderall to study for miguel’s dreaded 16×110 conditioning test.
oops, i meant schiano’s test.