His contract, much like his game, is light on dazzle.
None of the eye-popping numbers of, say, Donovan McNabb. Nowhere near the artificial length or expense of Drew Bledsoe.
It's a fair deal. Impressive, but sensible. Hefty, but not gaudy. It's a package, you must admit, that Brad Johnson will wear well.
A few weeks before the start of training camp, the Bucs and Johnson agreed to a restructured contract that could pay him $25-million for four years.
So go on about the new offensive linemen. Make your case that Dwayne Rudd is a defensive upgrade. Just know any deal that keeps Johnson happy is as important a move as the Buccaneers could have made this offseason.
Of course, this realization is not entirely punctual. Stop and fess up. How many among us were inclined once to flirt with other quarterbacks? Who wasn't intrigued by the flair of Rob Johnson a calendar ago?
If, before last season, you were told Brad Johnson was somewhere in the middle tier of salaries for starting quarterbacks, you would probably have nodded and said that sounded about right.
Amazing, isn't it? How easy it is to covet something in the distance and how difficult to appreciate what's standing before you?
Because the simple truth is Johnson is among the league's elite quarterbacks. And, at this moment, the perfect fit for this team.
This is what is so misunderstood. The Bucs need a quarterback, not a star. They need someone who can manage a game, not try to dominate it. They need someone more committed to the greater good than a solitary cause.
You know how many times the Bucs needed to score more than 27 points to win a game last season? Zero. The defense puts this team in a position to win, and Johnson is the guy who closes the deal.
He did it last season without a strong offensive line. Without a consistent running game. Without an abundance of speed at receiver. He took a less-than-ordinary offense, combined it with coach Jon Gruden's game plan, and created something deceptively effective.
This is his gift. Not to make himself look better with highlights, but to make a team better with all the right decisions.
Consider this the next time he throws a pass away. Or the next time he throws underneath instead of attacking deep. Consider this when you discover Johnson threw fewer interceptions per attempt than any passer in the NFL.
"As a fan base and media, we traditionally grade players on traits we can easily measure. To me, the most underrated trait at quarterback is winning," Bucs general manager Rich McKay said. "Does he know how to win games? Does he know how to manage games? Is he a leader? Is he willing to sacrifice his own stats to do what's necessary to win a game?
"Brad excels in these areas. He's taken some teams that weren't that great and helped them win a lot of games."
Is that such a terrible legacy? That you didn't throw as many touchdown passes as Dan Marino, but you did win one more Super Bowl? That you weren't one of the first three quarterbacks named to last season's Pro Bowl roster, but you went 4-0 in head-to-head meetings against the three who did?
That your career winning percentage (.646) as a starter is topped only by Brett Favre (.665) among current quarterbacks?
"If you had an open lottery on all the quarterbacks in the league, it's incredible how many would be chosen ahead of Brad," McKay said. "And, two years later, a lot of people would be sorry they didn't choose Brad.
"I understand why he isn't considered one of the glamour quarterbacks in the league, but that doesn't mean he shouldn't be talked about that way."
It's all a matter of perception. There is flash and there is substance. There are quarterbacks who look impressive and others who play that way.
In a way, it is just like Johnson's contract. A few weeks before the Bucs restructured his deal, the Vikings did the same with their quarterback.
Daunte Culpepper, it was reported, got a 10-year, $102-million deal. It makes for great headlines, but is mostly a mirage. About $16-million is guaranteed. The rest is less than a promise.
Johnson's restructuring was far more modest. And probably a lot more effective. It freed salary cap space for the Bucs while virtually ensuring Johnson will remain in Tampa Bay another two seasons.
It also gave him a slight bump that puts his contract more in line with some of the league's top passers with an average salary around $6.3-million.
Not exactly the $11.3-million Peyton Manning and Kurt Warner are expected to make in 2003. Or the $10.2-million Jeff Garcia will take home. But, even if he hasn't cracked the top five, Johnson is among the 10 highest-paid QBs.
Johnson will tell you that is fine with him.
He has tremendous pride, but is not burdened with a large ego. Johnson yearns for respect, but will pass on recognition. He'll skip the razzle and ignore the dazzle.
