Cincinnati Native Thrilled To Sign With Bengals, Wear Jersey Number of His Favorite Player

CINCINNATI – Xavier Johnson used to drive past Paul Brown Stadium every day on his way to school, dreaming of one day playing for the Cincinnati Bengals.

Wednesday morning, he pulled into the parking lot as a member of the team.

The Bengals signed Johnson to the practice squad two days after waiving 2024 third-round pick Jermaine Burton.

“It’s definitely surreal,” Johnson said Wednesday afternoon following his first walk-through practice. “The opportunity is a blessing. Just to be in the NFL, let alone play for the team you grew up cheering on.”

The Bengals assigned Johnson No. 18, the exact number he would have requested if they asked, in honor of his favorite player growing up, A.J. Green.

A multi-sport athlete at Summit Country Day, Johnson walked on at Ohio State and eventually earned a scholarship.

Johnson caught 26 passes for 329 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 353 yards and a touchdown during his five seasons with the Buckeyes.

He attended the Bengals local workout before the 2024 draft, and the team called him after the draft with an offer to sign as a college free agent.

It was hard for Johnson to say ‘no,’ but he did.

“I trusted my agent’s counsel,” Johnson said of Brian Hamilton, who also lives in Cincinnati. “Looking at numbers and different things, playing that game, it was the only reason why I didn’t ultimately come home earlier.”

Johnson signed with the Buffalo Bills as a college free agent and went through training camp before being cut in late August.

Two days later, the Houston Texans signed him and spent the season on their practice squad.

The Texans released Johnson with an injury designation in June.

He continued to work out and held out hope for another opportunity, but as the calendar flipped to December, he wasn’t sure one would come.

“I was never discouraged, but there was a point where it was like, ‘Maybe I should start getting ready for next year,’” he said. “I was working out every day, training every day, trying to put my best foot forward and get better every day.

“So there was never a point where I had my head down or tail tucked.”

The chances of earning a promotion to the 53-man roster in the span of a few weeks are slim, but Johnson has four weeks to prove to the Bengals he’s worthy of a Futures Contract, which will be awarded in January.

“I’m coming in here with the mindset of intentionality, the purpose of getting better,” he said. “I’m gonna come in here and play my role and practice as hard as I can.

“In these next four weeks, I have an opportunity to earn some rapport with this organization who brought me in, showed me some respect. I was taught the best way to show respect to pour yourself out and do your best.”