NASHVILLE – Jermaine Johnson II was a first-round pick of the Jets, and he spent four seasons with the franchise.
After being traded from the Jets to the Titans this offseason, the defensive end will be on the opposite sideline from many of his former teammates on Sunday when the season kicks off at Nissan Stadium.
To hear Johnson tell it, it will be just another game.
"There's a lot of things I want to get to as a team, and I want to get to individually," Johnson said. "The Jets are just another thing in the way."
Johnson, traded to from the Jets to the Titans in exchange for defensive lineman T'Vondre Sweat, believes he's in the perfect spot in Tennessee. On Monday, he admitted it will be nice seeing many of his friends after the Week One matchup, and he anticipates there will be jersey swaps between some of his new Titans teammates who also used to play in New York, and those currently with the Jets.
"But more than anything I am just ready to start this season," said Johnson, "especially (being able to) go out there with this amazing group of guys and a coaching staff I am familiar with. I am excited to start the season off."
The 26th overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, Johnson was a Pro Bowl performer with the Jets in 2023, when he posted a career-high 7.5 sacks and 55 tackles while starting all 17 games. Johnson's 2024 season ended at Nissan Stadium on that September 15 day when he tore an Achilles in Week 2.
Johnson had three sacks in 2025, along with 43 tackles and six quarterback hits.
In 47 games over four seasons with the Jets, Johnson has tallied 131 tackles, 13 sacks, 27 quarterback hits and 20 tackles for a loss.
In Tennessee, Johnson feels like his body is primed and ready to go for a new season, with a new team.
"That was probably the toughest camp I've done in my professional career," he said. "I am just excited to be able to roll that into the season. I am extremely conditioned right now, just like everybody else on this team. … I think we're just ready to go to be honest.
"(My confidence in the defense is) through the roof, but at the same time there's a standard. So, it just kind of works hand in hand – you can't have all the confidence in the world without always holding yourself to the highest standard as an individual, and as a team.
"There's a standard, a dominance. You can't have three good plays and have a bad one."
