Johnson & Johnson — the history of KeeSean and Keyshawn
07/03/2024 10:29 PM
With a Throwback Thursday game looming, the Saskatchewan Roughriders' KeeSean Johnson was asked to reminisce about his virtual namesake.
That would be Keshawn Johnson, who caught 814 passes for 10,571 yards over 11 NFL seasons — spent with the New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Dallas Cowboys.
"That's kind of where I became a Buccaneers fan," said KeeSean Johnson, who is to start at wide receiver for the Roughriders on Thursday against the Toronto Argonauts (7 p.m., Mosaic Stadium).
"It kind of started there, because I found out that a receiver had the same name. Throughout the agent process, we actually became friends. Now he's on my side and I'm on his.
"It was cool to meet him after growing up watching him."
Keshawn Johnson made his NFL debut with the Jets on Sept. 1, 1996 — 38 days before KeeSean Johnson was born in Mountain View, Calif.
"My dad's name is Sean and he didn't want me to be a Junior, so he decided to do something different," the Roughriders' Johnson said. "I wasn't named after (Keshawn). That's just how it kind of came out."
Sean Johnson's memorabilia collection includes one particularly priceless item — the football KeeSean caught for an Arizona Cardinals touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers on Oct. 31, 2019.
"My first touchdown ball was going to go to my dad," said KeeSean, who scored the TD while wearing Keyshawn Johnson's familiar No. 19.
"He and my mom supported me the whole way. He put me in football and I had to give him something back.
"It means more to my dad, because that was the first thing I thought of doing after I scored a touchdown."
Johnson was selected by the Cardinals in the sixth round (174th overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft after starring at Fresno State University.
Over two seasons with Arizona, Johnson caught 36 passes for 360 yards and one touchdown in 18 games, including five starts.
He subsequently spent time in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles (2021), San Francisco (2022), the Atlanta Falcons (2022) and Buffalo Bills (2022-23) before signing a CFL contract with the Roughriders on Feb. 29.
He started in the Roughriders' 2024 regular-season opener against the Edmonton Elks before being placed on the one-game injured list.
Johnson returns to the active roster in the absence of wideout Shawn Bane Jr., who is away from the 3-0 team while tending to a personal matter.
Corey Mace has been impressed with Johnson since the outset of training camp.
"I'm really excited to see what his season is going to look like," the Roughriders' Head Coach said.
"You look at his career and the things he has done and the numbers that he has put up.
"Playing early (this season) and then having to bide his time a little bit and then being put back in there, he has had a great week.
"I would not be shocked if it is KeeSean Johnson's day. We've seen that each week with a different receiver stepping up. He's got the talent to be one of those guys as well."
THROWBACK TO 2010
Corey Mace and Ryan Dinwiddie first crossed paths in the CFL on Oct. 17, 2010.
At the time, Dinwiddie was in his first of two seasons as the primary backup to Roughriders starting quarterback Darian Durant.
Mace was early in his tenure as a defensive tackle with the Stampeders, who defeated the host Roughriders 34-26 on that October day in 2010.
From Mace's perspective, the game was especially noteworthy because he scored his first CFL touchdown — on a 60-yard fumble return.
The Dinwiddie-Mace connection became much less tenuous in 2016, when they both became members of Dave Dickenson's first coaching staff in Calgary.
Mace and Dinwiddie were coaching colleagues for four seasons before the latter was named the Argonauts' Head Coach on Dec. 12, 2019.
They were reunited on Jan. 6, 2022, when Mace was named the Argonauts' Defensive Co-ordinator.
Dinwiddie and Mace were two of the key strategists as Toronto won a Grey Cup in 2022 and a league-record-tying 16 regular-season games in 2023.
Now they are poised to face each other for the first time as Head Coaches.
"I love that guy," Mace said. "There's a bunch of coaches around this league who you spend a lot of hours with. You love them until that kickoff.
"We're trying to smash each other's teams — but that's why you love them. We're all kind of wired the same from that standpoint.
"I'd expect nothing less from the Argos when they come in here. I'm sure that they expect nothing less than what we're going to try to accomplish on game day."
HONOUR ROLL
Two members of the Roughriders — Jameer Thurman and Rolan Milligan Jr. — were named to the CFL's Honour Roll for June.
The evaluations are done by Pro Football Focus, which breaks down every player on every play from every game and releases rankings each week and every month.
The ratings for June encompass Weeks 1 to 4 of the 2024 season.
Thurman graded out as the best linebacker, with a rating of 81.1 (out of a possible 100).
Milligan Jr., a starting defensive halfback, topped all special teams players at 91.1.
