Jerrod Johnson Jerrod Terrel Johnson ( born July 27 , 1988 ) is an American football quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . He was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2011 . He played college football at Texas A & M . Johnson was Texas A & M ' s starting quarterback from 2008 to 2010 , finishing his collegiate career ranked first in school history with 8 , 011 passing yards and 8 , 888 yards total offense . College career . 2006 season . Johnson saw no action during the 2006 football season as he was redshirted . He was also on the Aggie basketball team for a while during the 2006 - 07 basketball season , playing minor minutes under coach Billy Gillispie in three games vs . Big 12 opponents . He chose to focus on football after the season . 2007 season . During the 2007 football season Johnson backed up junior Stephen McGee at quarterback . He took 20 snaps the entire season , and 13 of those 20 were running plays . He compiled 161 all - purpose yards for five touchdowns . 2008 season . Prior to Johnson ' s sophomore season , head coach Mike Sherman became the Aggies ' new coach . During fall camp Johnson competed for the starting job with senior Stephen McGee , but lost out to the veteran team leader . Johnson was then moved to part - time receiver . He made his first catch vs Arkansas State for a gain of 36 yards . His role as a wide receiver continued for only a brief period . In the second game of the season , vs New Mexico , Stephen McGee suffered a right shoulder sprain on the opening series . Johnson stepped in and completed 10 - of - 19 for 124 yards and 3 touchdowns . He returned to the wide receiver position against Army , but McGee re - injured his shoulder during the game , paving the way for Johnson to step in and lead Texas A & M to a victory . Against Kansas State , Johnson compiled 419 passing yards and 487 total offensive yards , setting then - single game school records in both categories . He threw for 381 yards and a career - best four touchdown passes against Iowa State . Johnson threw for a career - high of 4 interceptions against Baylor . 2009 season . Johnson and Ryan Tannehill battled for the starting position during the 2009 offseason , but Johnson eventually prevailed . Johnson led the team to a 6 – 6 regular - season record including an upset road win at Texas Tech . He compiled a school - record 3 , 217 passing yards in the regular season , and also led the Big 12 in touchdown passes for the season . In the 2009 Independence Bowl against Georgia , he completed 29 of 58 passes for 362 yards and two touchdowns , but was sacked three times and intercepted twice in the loss . He was named Second Team All - Big 12 for his performance during the 2009 regular season . 2010 season . In the spring prior to his 2010 season , Johnson had arthroscopic shoulder surgery . He entered the 2010 season as the Preseason Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and a dark horse Heisman Trophy candidate . However , he failed to meet the high expectations . He threw nine interceptions in the first five games of the season , and then struggled in the 30 – 9 loss to Missouri . A sports editor noted that Johnson struggled with his accuracy and seemed to have less of a " zip " on his passes . During the ensuing Kansas game , he split time at quarterback with second - string Ryan Tannehill . Tannehill outperformed Johnson with his 12 - for - 16 passes for 155 yards and three touchdowns . Johnson lost the starting job to Tannehill after the Kansas game . Over the first seven games , Johnson posted 158 - of - 279 passes for 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions . His passing efficiency rating was 125 . 4 . He was also sacked 25 times on 304 plays . However , during the Kansas game , he raised his total career yardage to 8 , 888 , breaking the school record of 8 , 876 held by Reggie McNeal from 2002 – 05 . He is the A & M career leader in both total offense ( 8 , 888 yards ) and passing yards ( 8 , 011 yards ) . Johnson continued to stay on the sidelines for the remainder of the season . Despite losing the starting position , Johnson was noted for his humility . Professional career . Pre - draft . Johnson played in the 2011 East – West Shrine Game . A sports editor commented that Johnson had the least zip of all the quarterbacks who played , and did not throw like he used to during the 2009 season . He went undrafted in the 2011 NFL Draft . Hartford Colonials . Johnson was selected first overall in the 2011 UFL Draft by the Hartford Colonials . However the Colonials went out of business , and Johnson was a free agent . Philadelphia Eagles . He signed as an undrafted free agent with the Philadelphia Eagles on July 26 , 2011 . He was waived on August 13 . Arizona Rattlers . He was assigned to the Arizona Rattlers on September 27 , 2011 . Pittsburgh Steelers . The Pittsburgh Steelers signed Johnson on January 13 , 2012 . They then cut him on August 31 , 2012 . Sacramento Mountain Lions . Johnson signed with the Sacramento Mountain Lions in September 2012 , serving as the team ' s backup quarterback . He became the team ' s starter in Week 2 of the 2012 season after an injury to starter Josh Johnson . Seattle Seahawks . The Seattle Seahawks signed Johnson on April 24 , 2013 . He was released on June 14 , after the Seahawks signed Tarvaris Jackson who had just been released by the Buffalo Bills . Chicago Bears . On September 1 , 2013 , Johnson was signed by the Chicago Bears to the practice squad . He was released on September 4 , 2013 , and was brought back on September 9 . He was again removed from the practice squad on September 24 . Johnson was resigned by the Bears on December 30 , 2013 . Personal . Jerrod has one brother named Marquis . Their father , Larry Johnson , who also played for the Aggies , died of a stroke in December 2007 .