Former wide receiver Collin Johnson announced Thursday that he is retiring from the NFL and enrolling at MIT Sloan this fall to pursue his MBA.
Johnson, 28, last played in the NFL in 2024. Last June, he announced on Instagram that he completed the Harvard Business School Executive Program focused on business, entertainment, media and sports.
“As I move into this next chapter, I’m excited to continue building Beyond-Sports by launching Founders Academy in partnership with MITdesignX — a venture-building program created for current and former professional athletes building real businesses,” Johnson wrote on X.
“For a long time, athletes have been seen as endorsers of other people’s companies. I believe we can be the founders, operators, investors, and owners behind them too.”
Johnson played four seasons in the NFL after being selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft out of Texas. He recorded career highs in catches (18), receiving yards (272) and touchdowns (two) in 14 games during his rookie season with the Jaguars.
Johnson reeled in 11 catches for 105 yards in 12 games (one start) with the New York Giants. He had two catches for 17 yards during 12 games split over two seasons with the Chicago Bears.
“Football has shaped my life in more ways than I can put into words,” Johnson wrote on X. “It taught me faith, discipline, resilience, leadership, and how to compete at the highest level. I’m thankful for every teammate, coach, organization, and person who helped me along the way.”
