Collin Johnson Is Trading Touchdowns For An MBA At MIT Sloan, And He's About To Change The Game OFF The Field

Alright, listen up, 12s, because this is wild: Former NFL wide receiver Collin Johnson, yeah, the guy who last played in 2024, just announced he's hanging up the cleats for good. And get this, he's not just chilling, he's enrolling at MIT Sloan this fall to get his MBA! Talk about a career pivot, right? This dude is 28 years old and apparently has a whole new playbook for his life.

From Gridiron Grinder to Business Guru

Johnson wasn't some unknown player. The Jacksonville Jaguars drafted him in the fifth round back in the 2020 NFL Draft out of Texas. He had his best year as a rookie, reeling in a career-high 18 catches for 272 receiving yards and two touchdowns in 14 games. Not too shabby, honestly! After that, he spent a season with the New York Giants, where he had 11 catches for 105 yards in 12 games, even getting one start. His final stops were with the Chicago Bears for two seasons, where he snagged two catches for 17 yards across 12 games. Clearly, the guy knows what it means to grind it out in the league. But here's the kicker: this isn't his first foray into the academic big leagues. Last June, he revealed on Instagram that he'd already completed the Harvard Business School Executive Program, focusing on business, entertainment, media, and sports. So yeah, he’s been plotting this for a minute. When he made the announcement on Thursday, it wasn't just about an MBA, it was about a whole new mission.

"We Can Be The Founders" - Johnson's Bold Vision

He didn't hold back on X, either, talking about his next chapter. Johnson is "excited to continue building Beyond-Sports by launching Founders Academy in partnership with MITdesignX," which is described as "a venture-building program created for current and former professional athletes building real businesses." Seriously, how cool is that? This isn't just about him, it’s about empowering other athletes. He laid out his philosophy perfectly, writing, "For a long time, athletes have been seen as endorsers of other people's companies. I believe we can be the founders, operators, investors, and owners behind them too." That's a mic drop moment, if you ask me. It’s a powerful message, telling athletes to take control of their economic futures. Football definitely molded him, as he wrote on X, "Football has shaped my life in more ways than I can put into words. It taught me faith, discipline, resilience, leadership, and how to compete at the highest level. I'm thankful for every teammate, coach, organization, and person who helped me along the way." Now he's taking those lessons and applying them to a whole new arena. So, as the NFL keeps rolling, Johnson’s journey serves as a reminder that these guys are more than just athletes. We'll be watching to see how Founders Academy impacts the next generation of player-entrepreneurs. What an exciting new chapter for him and potentially, for the league as a whole!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.