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SALT LAKE CITY — Andy Reid won't be the only local legend working the sideline at the Super Bowl in Glendale, Arizona.
Brian Johnson's path to State Farm Stadium isn't quite as long, but no less traversing as the Kansas City Chiefs head coach two years after Johnson first reported to the Philadelphia Eagles' practice facility as its quarterbacks coach.
The early steps started years ago at the University of Utah, both as a player and coach.
The former Utes standout who finished his career with 7,853 passing yards and 57 touchdowns, a Sugar Bowl MVP, and the most wins in school history took his first job in coaching on head coach Kyle Whittingham's staff in 2010. He learned and soaked up what he could in four seasons, which included a stint as the youngest offensive coordinator in the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2012.
No surprise, then, that even in Arizona, Johnson couldn't help but reflect on Whittingham and the coach with whom he still talks to "all the time."
"He's obviously been a huge mentor to me," Johnson told the Deseret News ahead of the Eagles' Sunday kickoff against the Chiefs. "I've known him since I was 17 years old. He gave me my first opportunity in coaching; a lot of what I know about the game and think about the game is a direct reflection of him."
Johnson added that he "can't say enough" about Whittingham and "the job that he's done at Utah" — for the back-to-back Pac-12 championships or his ability to build the program from its days in the Mountain West to that of where it's at in the Pac-12.
"He's one of the best to ever do it, and I'm happy I got the chance to work for him and play for him," he said.
Johnson left Utah in 2014 when he took a job under former Utah offensive coordinator Dan Mullen as the quarterbacks coach at Mississippi State for three years. He also had stops at Houston and Florida before making his pro debut on Nick Sirianni's staff in 2021.
He's been a perfect fit in the City of Brotherly Love, according to another former Utah star: punt returner Britain Covey, who is questionable to play Sunday with a hamstring injury.
"He does a great job of balancing understanding and knowing the schematics and details behind everything without overcomplicating it," he said. "I think he'd tell you that comes from experience, being a coordinator in college, a quarterbacks coach in different systems. I feel like he finds that balance.
"He also finds the balance of being a friend and a coach," Covey added. "Maybe that's because he's so young; I don't know why it is, but he's a great guy."
When he got to Philadelphia, Johnson was reunited with another longtime friend — quarterback Jalen Hurts, who Johnson recruited twice before the signal caller ended up at Alabama and Oklahoma en route to a Heisman Trophy runner-up finish.
When Johnson was a high school quarterback in Baytown, Texas, his co-defensive coordinator was a man named Averion Hurts, who had two sons that served as the team's ball boys. Those were 4-year-old Aversion Jr. and 9-year-old Jalen.
Hurts hung around Baytown since he was 4 years old and still remembers looking up to that high school junior transfer whom he now calls "coach."
"He recruited me to come to Mississippi State — always wanted to coach me, and I always wanted to play for him as well," Hurts recalled. "I ended up going to Alabama; he was at Florida when I transferred to Oklahoma, and he wanted me to come to Florida.
"Things have a way of working themselves out. To have him, to have the background, experiences and history we have, I think it pays dividends to this team's success right now."
Hurts was also the first person Johnson called after he accepted the Eagles job. Before that phone call, it had all been a secret.
"I don't think Nick or (general manager Howie Roseman) knew that. … It was a really, really big coincidence, but also a bonus as well," Johnson told TSN during media days in Phoenix. "I followed Jalen's high school career really, really close, so to see him have the success he's had has been great to see."
The feeling is mutual between Hurts and his quarterback coach. The 35-year-old QB whisperer has been among the rising stars among NFL assistant coaches, and appears primed to ascend to an offensive coordinator job after the Super Bowl — possibly sooner rather than later.
On Thursday, Johnson denied any connection to the offensive coordinator opening at Notre Dame. He reportedly laughed off the "reports linking him" to the Fighting Irish after Alabama's Nick Saban hired Tommy Reese to the same role.
He was pretty clear about his intentions toward South Bend, but an upward trajectory on Johnson's first-rising career isn't hard to envision, either at the pro or college level.
"I'm not going to Notre Dame," he said, per the Philadelphia Inquirer.
#Eagles QBs coach Brian Johnson said he doesn't know where the reports linking him to Notre Dame OC job came from.
— Jeff McLane (@Jeff_McLane) February 8, 2023
"I'm not going to Notre Dame," he said.
Johnson has a good thing going in Philadelphia, not the least being his connection with Hurts. The former collegiate star accounted for 35 touchdowns this year to lead the Eagles to the NFC's No. 1 overall seed and a 16-3 record, tied for the best in the NFL with AFC counterpart (and Super Bowl opponent) Kansas City.
"He's done a great job so far," Johnson said of Hurts, per the team site. "It's been a really, really long season, and he's obviously put in a lot of work to get himself ready to play. He's battled, and I'm excited to get to this point and watch him play on Sunday. He's done an excellent job in terms of understanding the system and being more comfortable. He's put himself in a position to play really well on a consistent basis.
"When we started this thing and wanted to come into Year 2, one of the main things was consistency down in and down out, and he's been able to do that, so I'm really excited and proud that he's been able to play really well this season."
Kickoff between the Eagles and Chiefs is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. MST on FOX.
