Former Alabama standout, sideline reporter Rashad Johnson leaving for NFL opportunity
Former Alabama safety Rashad Johnson is leaving his role as a sideline reporter for his alma mater to take a coaching gig with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Crimson Tide Sports Network announced on Twitter on Wednesday.
Johnson, who played at Alabama from 2006 to 2009, had been serving as a sideline reporter for the official Alabama football radio broadcasts for the last four seasons prior to taking an NFL job ahead of the 2022 season.
On the Buccaneers website, Johnson is included on the coaches page and is listed as a “defensive assistant.” The Buccaneers promoted defensive coordinator Todd Bowles into the head coach position this offseason when former head coach Brian Arians stepped down from the role and moved into the front office.
Johnson was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played through 2015 in Arizona before playing 2016 with the Tennessee Titans before drifting out of the league. But now he’s back in the NFL, this time as a coach on the sidelines.
This is the second shakeup for the Alabama football radio crew before the season
Eli Gold, the voice of Alabama football since 1988, is dealing with health issues and will start the 2022 football season “on the bench,” the program announced Wednesday.
Chris Stewart will take over for Gold while he recovers. Stewart is currently an anchor for the Tide football broadcast. He also covers play-by-play duties for the Alabama basketball and baseball team.
Alabama also announced that Stewart will host “The Nick Saban Show” and “Hey, Coach” radio broadcasts when it returns on Aug. 18.
On top of calling Crimson Tide games, Eli Gold also hosted NASCAR Live on the Motor Racing Network from 1982 to 2016. The Brooklyn, New York native is now 68 years old.