Eagles Q&A: Why Fred Johnson’s No. 74 means so much to him originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Each week during the 2024 season, we’re going through the Eagles media guide to find an interesting nugget.
The Eagles’ PR interns do a great job filling out these little oddities in the media guide and they serve as a good way to meet the players behind the helmets.
This week we chatted with offensive tackle Fred Johnson, who said his No. 74 means a lot to him because his grandfather passed at age 74 when Johnson was wearing the number.
Me: Was your grandfather an important person in your life?
Johnson: Yeah, he was one of my biggest influences and supporters. Not for just football but I feel like anything in my life. I feel like any of his grandkids he made it known that he supported you in anything you wanted to do as long as it didn’t harm your life or harm your freedom. He was proud of anything that did anything that was worth mentioning. Didn’t matter if you was the neighborhood plumber or the cable guy or if you was in the NFL.
Me: How old were you when he passed?
Johnson: He passed in 2021 so a couple years ago. I was probably 25.
Me: Was he proud getting to watch you play in the league?
Johnson: Yeah, he came to one game. His first NFL game in 2019 or 2020. He was super proud, super happy. Nobody knew I was gonna play in the NFL. Nobody even knew I was going to play football. He was just super happy I went to college and got a free ride. The NFL was just a pipe dream. When I was actually in the NFL, he was super happy.
Me: I guess you had the number before it had the significance?
Johnson: Yeah, I had the number in college.
Me: So then you got to the league and it was available to you?
Johnson: Yeah, when I got to the league, I went to Pittsburgh it was available, when I went to Cinci it was available and when I went to Tampa it was available. When I got here after he passed the year before I got here. When I got here, I had a different number so I went and got it (74) tattooed on me. But then I wanted to earn that number back. That next offseason, I had to do whatever to make the team and get it back.
NOTE: Johnson wore No. 50 when he first got to Philadelphia.
Me: You got it tatted?
Johnson: Yeah, I have it tattooed on my leg.
Me: What was his name?
Johnson: Ira Lee Johnson.
Me: Do you think he’d be proud of where you are today?
Johnson: Yeah, I think he’d be proud. I miss him. It’s just one of them things, you just wish you could have one more conversation with somebody but when he was here we talked all the time. When I got so emotional in the Saints game, like I said, I almost cried when Saquon (Barkley) scored. My first NFL touchdown in years after the ride I had been on. It was mainly because I knew he wasn’t going to be able to tell me he watched the game after. It’s one of those things I haven’t been able to get used to. My dad and my brothers and stuff would call me, that means a lot. But you take stuff for granted until it’s gone. I just wish I could appreciate one more of those little calls after a game, tell him how I did, him tell me he watched it, he’s proud of me.
Me: I get that. We all feel that.
Johnson: Yessir.
Me: Thank you, man. I appreciate it.
Johnson: No problem.
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