ENGLEWOOD – The Denver Broncos, a franchise with a history of giving people second chances, are signing former University of Tennessee linebacker A.J. Johnson.
Johnson, 26, and former Tennessee teammate Michael Williams were acquitted July 28 by a 12-person Tennessee jury on all counts of aggravated rape charges after 1 ½ hours of deliberation.
“A.J. hasn’t had the opportunity to play football for the last three years while resolving a serious legal matter," Denver Broncos President of Football Operations John Elway said in a statement to the media. "We’ve had several conversations with him since he’s been cleared and have become very familiar with his background and character. Our organization is confident A.J. is ready to move forward and resume his playing career.”
The players had been indicted on February 2015 after a woman said the two men raped her during a party at Johnson’s apartment on Nov. 16, 2014.
The defense lawyers argued in court that Johnson, a star linebacker at the time, and Williams, a part-time starting defensive back, had consensual sex with the woman.
Within 48 hours after the party, the players were suspended and never played for the Volunteers again. Even though Johnson missed Tennessee’s final three games of the 2014 season, he finished as the school’s second all-time leading tackler with 425.
He entered his senior season in 2014 ranked as the sixth-best inside linebacker prospect by NFL draft expert Mel Kiper Jr.
In 2013, the Broncos stood by star linebacker Von Miller when he was suspended for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, and signed cornerback Aqib Talib in 2014 despite his checkered past with off-field issues. This year, the Broncos signed cornerback Tramaine Brock, who had a domestic violence charge dismissed last year.
Miller went on to become Super Bowl 50 MVP and one of the league’s top defensive players and Talib was a four-time Pro Bowler in his four seasons with the Broncos. Brock is in his first year with the Broncos.