Keyshawn Johnson (2012) - USC Athletics Hall of Fame

Keyshawn Johnson

Induction:
2012
Class:
1995

Keyshawn Johnson was one of the most prolific wide receivers in USC history. He was a unanimous All-American first teamer in 1995 when he set a Pac-10 and USC record for pass receptions (102) in a season. The one-time Trojan ball boy, who came from West Los Angeles Junior College, finished his two-year (1994-95) USC career with 168 catches and had 17 outings with 100 receiving yards (including an NCAA record 12 in a row). He was the MVP of both the 1995 Cotton Bowl (8 catches, 222 yards, 3 TDs) and the 1996 Rose Bowl (12 catches, 216 yards, 1 TD). The two-time All-Pac-10 first teamer won the Pop Warner Award and was the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year in 1995 when he finished seventh in the Heisman Trophy voting. He had 66 receptions in 1994. He was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 2008. In 2016, he was named to the Pac-12 All-Century Team. Known to be brash and outspoken, he was chosen by the New York Jets as the No. 1 pick of the 1996 NFL draft. He played for the Jets (1996-99), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2000-03, including in Super Bowl XXXVII), Dallas Cowboys (2004-06) and Carolina Panthers (2006). He played in 3 Pro Bowls. He caught 814 passes for 10,571 yards and 64 TDs in his NFL career. He became a television and radio sports commentator, businessman, restaurateur and real estate investor. He co-authored his autobiography, “Just Give Me the Damn Ball.”