Cal D-Lineman Brett Johnson Announces Medical Retirement From Football
Brett Johnson, whose promising career as a Cal defensive lineman was repeatedly interrupted by serious injuries, announced via Instagram on Wednesday he is medically retiring from football.
Expressing his sadness over the decision and thanking all who supported him, Johnson wrote, “With the multiple injuries I have sustained both on and off the field, I am unable to play football at the highest level and without seriously sacrificing my short and long-term health.”
Johnson missed the entirety of the 2021 and 2022 seasons due to hip and knee injuries before making a comeback this past season that ultimately earned him the CalHOPE Courage Award.
Center Brian Driscoll also is stepping away from the game, coach Justin Wilcox confirmed.
After an absence of 1,001 days between games, Johnson played in all 12 regular-season games this season before re-injuring his right knee in the finale vs. UCLA and was unavailable to play in the Dec. 16 Independence Bowl.
“That’s when I kind of came to my decision that I need to step away from the game, prioritize my health for the long term, for the rest of my life,” Johnson says in the video at the top of this story.
“To step away from the game is difficult. To step away from my teammates is difficult. To step away from this lifestyle is difficult,” he added. “But I am very much exciting, very much looking forward to the opportunities that will be abundant in this next stage of my life.”
Johnson said he has no set plans yet, but for the next 6 to 12 months likely will do some traveling. “See the world a little bit,” he said. “Up until now, I’ve spent my entire life dedicated to football and this kind of lifestyle. So I think it will be good and refreshing to get some new perspective, do something different.”
Johnson’s initial major setback was a car accident in the spring of 2021 that left him with a fractured hip and required surgery that kept him on the shelf for the entire ’21 season.
He returned from that only to tear his right ACL during fall camp in 2022, once more causing him to miss the full schedule of games.
Johnson said he's not sure about a career path at this point, but may be leaning toward something where he can provide support to others facing the types of challenges he endured.
"What got me through . . . all of this hardship and whatnot was the people around me," he said. "I want to be a person that is around people that need support the way I did. I want to be there for people the same way people were there for me."
Cal coach Justin Wilcox said the Bears will miss Johnson but appreciate all he gave to the program.
“Man, Brett . . . what a warrior. He put a lot into this program and had some really unfortunate circumstances, bad luck, you could call it, with the injuries that he suffered along the way,” Wilcox said. “I’m sorry he had to go through that.
“He’s a really well-respected guy on the team and forever will be a Cal Bear,” Wilcox said. “Just a guy who has been through a lot and has persevered . . . he is one of those guys who’s going to be able to handle whatever adversity comes at him because of some of the things he went through here.”
A 6-foot-5, 295-pounder from Phoenix, Johnson started 25 of the 29 games he played at Cal and had career totals of 69 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and two fumble recoveries.
He arrived at Cal in the fall of 2019 and earned third-team freshman All-America honors from Pro Football Focus after starting nine times.
Wilcox also praised Driscoll, calling him “another guy who did a lot for the program, did a heck of a lot for us. Got the most out of himself. Worked extremely hard, physically and mentally, to be prepared to play.
“I know he’s got goals in life and he’s going to be very successful just because of the work ethic and the toughness that he showed as a player here. And also just an intellect. He’s a very sharp guy.”
A 6-4, 320-pound redshirt junior from San Diego, Driscoll played in 37 games for Cal, including the final 25 of his career as a starter. He started the 2023 opener at left guard then was moved permanently to center after Matthew Cindric was injured.
Cover photo of Brett Johnson courtesy of his Instagram page.
Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo
