Before he was one of the more underrated tight ends in the NFL, New Orleans Saints standout Juwan Johnson was an undrafted free agent out of Oregon in the 2020 class.
Despite being a wide receiver at the college level, former Saints and current Denver Broncos head coach, Sean Payton, converted Johnson to a tight end. It was a move that worked wonders, as he led the team in touchdown catches in 2022 with seven, and is coming off of a 2024 season that saw him play all 17 games and record a career-high 50 catches.
While Johnson is likely more-known in NFL circles, his wife of five years, Chanen Johnson, may be more well-known online. She's amassed over three million TikTok followers, as she frequently documents their journey in and around the NFL.
In a clip from a recent episode of "Ju & Chan," Chanen opened up on the harsh treatment she received from a fellow WAG as the wife of a rookie on the practice squad at the time.
"Anyway there was an instance where I was with like a couple rookies (WAGS)," Johnson explained. "And this person came up to us who was a significant other and she was like 'Yeah I really just don't feel like investing in like Y'all to be honest. I'm over it. I'm tired of investing in people and truth be told I don't really know if any of you are going to be here once camps over so I don't really care to become your friend.'"
Chanen Johnson (left) and Juwan Johnson (right) on the red carpet before Super Bowl LIX.
Chanen Johnson (left) and Juwan Johnson (right) on the red carpet before Super Bowl LIX.
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
When her husband followed up with the question of how that made her feel, she revealed how she has used the interaction to her advantage, expressing it motivated her to be nice to everyone she crosses paths with whether they are the significant other of a star or practice squad player.
"We don't need no switch-ups," Johnson said. "For me, like I wanna be that nice person to someone who maybe does get cut tomorrow."
Considering her husband went from UDFA to signing a three-year deal worth over $30 million this offseason, Johnson is well aware of the daunting challenges that come along with the NFL life. Although it's unfortunate she went through it, she has made it a mission to ensure it doesn't happen to others.