Former Desert Vista football standout Brett Johnson wins Courage Award
After the last tackle he made in his second season playing football at California in 2020, former Phoenix Desert Vista defensive lineman Brett Johnson went 1,001 days before playing in another college game.
There was a car accident that caused a serious hip injury that forced him to miss the 2021 season. There was the torn ACL during 2022 training camp that led to surgery and caused him to miss that season.
Never giving up, Johnson started the 2023 season opener and prevailed through all 12 games as a starter that helped the Golden Bears to the Independence Bowl in a season in which he had 23 tackles, a pass breakup, a fumble recovery and an AP Comeback Player of the Year national semifinal mention.
Now the 6-foot-5, 290-pound Johnson has been awarded the CalHOPE Courage Award for December. CalHOPE provides crisis support. It is a multi-level campaign run by the Department of Healthcare Services to connect people with mental health and wellness resources to help them navigate during a time of crisis.
"Honestly, it's an honor," Johnson said. "It's very nice to get some recognition for the stuff that I've been through, because a lot the stuff that I've been through is not physical. It's a lot of the mental side of things that gets overlooked often.
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"It's cool not just for me but for everyone. I am the recipient of this award in this case, but I represent a lot of other athletes that have gone through similar and have had the same struggles."
This was Johnson's fifth season at Cal. He's not sure what his future holds, if he'll continue to play. But over the last two years, working through rehabs and not being able to play, has taught him the value of family.
"A big reason I continued to work and come back was for my teammates and my coaches," he said. "A lot of them look up to me and I had to set a good example."
He found a big support system at Cal with coaches and staff and teammates, staying connected in the moments.
As he worked through rehab, he said he continued to struggle through it, knowing something would pay off in the end.
"In the long term of my life, it's something I'm working on, to feel the process and the emotions that came with all the injuries," Johnson said. "Not overly emotional. But certainly satisfying."
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Former Desert Vista Thunder standout Brett Johnson wins Courage Award
