July 20, 2022
@heritagehsfball/Twitter
Former NFL wide receiver Charles Johnson played for the Philadelphia Eagles in 1999-2000 during the beginning of Donovan McNabb's career. Johnson, 50, died Sunday in North Carolina.
Former Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Charles Johnson, who played for the team in 1999 and 200, has died at age 50.
The cause of Johnson's death has not been released. He was found dead Sunday in a hotel room in the Raleigh area, ABC11 in North Carolina reported.
Johnson, a California native, played college football at the University of Colorado and was a first-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1994 NFL Draft. He amassed 3,400 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns during his first five seasons in the league, setting him up to sign a five-year, $15 million deal with the Eagles during free agency in 1999.
Johnson and Torrance Small, another free agent signing that offseason, joined the early days of head coach Andy Reid's reign in Philadelphia, replacing wide receivers Irving Fryar and Jeff Graham atop the depth chart from the previous season.
Johnson played with Doug Pederson during the first part of the 1999 season and caught the start of Donovan McNabb's career in Philadelphia. He was the leading wideout on the 2000 team that went 11-5 and reached the divisional round of the playoffs. In his two seasons in Philadelphia, Johnson caught 90 receptions for 1,056 yards and eight touchdowns, including seven during the 2000 season.
One of Donovan McNabb’s original starting receivers with the Eagles, Charles Johnson, has passed away at the age of 50 pic.twitter.com/7LUDAn6JgF
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) July 20, 2022
Charles Johnson
— Random Philly Athletes (@philly_athletes) July 20, 2022
Wide Receiver
Philadelphia Eagles (1999-2000) pic.twitter.com/qzlacP9gBR
Kordell Stewart to Charles Johnson. So sad to hear that Johnson, who played 5 years with #Steelers has passed away at age 50 #RIP pic.twitter.com/D8u3m4lulj
— Bob Pompeani (@KDPomp) July 20, 2022
In 2001, Johnson joined the New England Patriots, where he played a small role on a team that went on to win Super Bowl XXXVI. He finished his career the next season with the Buffalo Bills.
Most recently, Johnson had been working as an assistant athletic director at Heritage High School in Wake Forest. The school shared a message remembering Johnson on Twitter.
RIP Coach. You will be missed by so many, especially your Husky Family. #RIPCJ #HuskyFamily pic.twitter.com/JUfkjELMMB
— Heritage Huskies (@heritagehsfball) July 19, 2022
