Jaylon Johnson
CHICAGO BEARS
| Position | College | Years in the NFL |
|---|---|---|
| Cornerback | Utah | 3 |
Excellence on the Field:
Jaylon Johnson enters his third season with the Bears in 2022. Selected in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Bears, he has started in all 33 games of his career, owning 100 tackles (79 solo), 26 PDs and 1 INT. 2022 SEASON: He has played in five games (five starts) this season, started Week 1 at defensive back in the win vs. San Francisco, forced Chicago's first turnover of the 2022 NFL season, punching the ball out of WR Deebo Samuel's hands with 9:10 to go in the first quarter. Jaylon finished the contest with four tackles (three solo) and one tackle for loss on top of his forced fumble. Jaylon has started and played every defensive snap in Week 2 at Green Bay and returned to the starting lineup in Week 6 vs. Washington, finishing with three combined tackles (two solo) and one pass defensed. Jaylon registered a pair of tackles (both solo) against the Patriots in Week 7. Jaylon had one tackle and one pass defensed in Week 8 at Dallas.
Dedication & Commitment to Community Efforts This Year:
After Kev'vion Schrubb's life was tragically cut short at 22-years-old, Jaylon started the nonprofit, Kevvy's Vision Project, to honor his best friend. The nonprofit focuses on children within the same neighborhood in Fresno that Jaylon and Kev'vion grew up and strives to empower and motivate underprivileged communities while giving them equal opportunities to succeed. In starting Kevvy's Vision Project, Jaylon wanted to continue the charitable efforts his best friend was passionate about. He also created his own "No Love" clothing line in 2018 and donated apparel to homeless people as well as to patients at a local children's hospital. Through the foundation, Jaylon hosted a Christmas Carnival and selected 100 families who received clothing, toys and household supplies. They also had the opportunity to take part in games and stations at the party. Jaylon's dedication and commitment to the community has taken many forms. He has made several personal monetary contributions to his former high school, including donations to their Black Student Union and the football program. He also held a backpack giveaway for youth in his hometown who were able to go to school with new backpacks and supplies. Jaylon has already made an impact in the community and plans to continue as his career progresses and beyond.
Dedication & Commitment to Community Efforts in Years Past:
Rare Breed Sports was created as a way for Jaylon to be able to give back to student athletes from underserved areas and assist them as they plan for their future. Many times, these students from low-income families are not able to attend college campus visits or after committing to a college or university, their parents are not able to take them to school. Through Rare Breed Sports, student athletes can apply for scholarships to off-set some of these costs. Seventeen scholarships were given for between $1,000 and $1,500 to assist with airfare, books, hotel stay for parents, etc. Rare Breed Sports also assists young junior high and high school student athletes and their families by paying for fees related to tournaments, uniform costs and/or fees associated with sport. Jaylon also has plans to create a financial literacy program for children to take part in classes to learn how to better plan for their futures. He continues to give back to his hometown and former high school by attending Fellowship of Christian Athletes meetings and hosting a Black History Month event where he provided food and gift cards to students in attendance.
Positive Character & a Lifestyle of Giving Back:
Currently in his third season in the NFL, Jaylon has already established two non-profits. He is a leader on the team with humble and kind character. He plans to grow the work he does in Fresno, while expanding his community work to Chicago. Jaylon continually goes out of his way to spend time with special guests who attend practice at Halas Hall, whether it's a Make-A-Wish child or a social justice organization. He has attended the Bears Care Gala, in support of breast and ovarian research and is more than accommodating with Bears community programming asks. He was named one of the team's weekly captains for the Bears vs. Dolphins game, selected by Head Coach Eberflus. He has also participated in the NFL's My Cause My Cleats campaign the last two years, highlighting both Kevvy's Vision Project and Rare Breed Sports.