July 30, 1999

FROSTBURG, Md. (AP) - The two packs of ice on Brad Johnson's left knee are too big to ignore.

They are the tangible evidence of an injury that has already set off a training camp controversy and may threaten the former Florida State quarterback's dream of starting for the Washington Redskins. That hope began in the North Carolina mountains and took him through 7-yard end zones in England before an improbable, injury-marred ride to fame with the Minnesota Vikings.

"I was on crutches just a few weeks ago," said Johnson, who had surgery May 5 and has been somewhat gimpy during the first days of camp. "There may be a limp, but it hasn't affected my timing. I'm throwing the ball very sharp, very crisp. It's still six weeks away, so you don't want to panic too early.

"From where I came from, I feeling great."

That applies to both his injury and his career. Johnson is a self-described late-bloomer who grew up on a dirt road in Black Mountain, N.C., where he would throw footballs at trees to relieve boredom and go to bed at night dreaming of being Larry Bird in the Boston Garden, a baseball star for the Yankees and a quarterback for the Redskins.

"I had a Washington Redskin jacket," said Johnson, in a Southern twang that has survived all his travels. "And I'd wear that thing to school and wear that thing out until I outgrew it."

That sounds too eerie for some Redskins fans, who remember that Heath Shuler came to Washington from the same North Carolina mountains five years ago with the same nice-guy, small-town hero, lifelong-Redskins-dream story. Reaching the big time, Shuler looked like a deer caught in headlights, never got comfortable and was a big-money flop.

"He's a good guy," said Johnson, who lived about 50 miles from Shuler. "There's not too many people who don't like him. It was a rough situation. He takes a lot of the blame."

Johnson feels he is different because he's had to pay his dues. His favorite sport was basketball, and he used to shoot hoops with UNC's Brad Daugherty at Owen High School. At Florida State, he lost the starting job his junior year to Casey Weldon, who ironically is now Johnson's backup with the Redskins.

Weldon went on to be a fourth-round draft pick by Philadelphia in the 1992 NFL Draft. That same year, Johnson was a ninth-round selection by Minnesota.

Perhaps Johnson's most formative growth spurt came with the London Monarchs in 1995. After being drafted, he had played in just three games over three seasons before the Vikings sent him to NFL Europe to get some experience.

Playing at White Hart Lane, a soccer stadium where players literally fell off the back of the shortened end zone, Johnson led the league in completions.

"You take your lumps," Johnson said. "It was great for me, because I got to go through every situation. I needed that time to prove myself, but not everybody recovers from that league. Some guys got injured. Some guys didn't play well. The cream rises to the top out of that league.

"It makes you appreciate what you're involved in now, surviving all that."

Then came Johnson's big leap, a jump that has made him poster-boy inspiration for any third-stringer whose career seems to be going nowhere. When Warren Moon was injured in the Vikings' season opener in 1996, Johnson rallied the team to victory in the final minutes, got his first career start the following week and took Minnesota to the playoffs.

"I always tell people it's harder to ever get a chance of being a starter in this league than it is to be successful when you are one," Johnson said. "Being healthy, being good, having good players around you and then getting the break, that's kind of what I got."

The injuries started the following year. A scary neck injury ended Johnson's 1997 season early. Last year, a broken leg and then a broken thumb gave Randall Cunningham the chance to lead the Vikings to the NFC title game.

Johnson missed out on the fun and became trade bait, and the favorite team of his childhood acquired him for first-, second- and third-round draft picks after another late-bloomer, Trent Green, left via free agency.

"Brad has earned the right to be here," coach Norv Turner said.

Statistically, that's definitely true. Johnson is 15-8 as an NFL starter and is Minnesota's all-time passing leader with an 84.8 rating. He once threw 109 passes without an interception.

But, after his first Redskins minicamp in the spring, Johnson was hurt again. Knee surgery kept him off the field until this week, and Turner was so upset over footage of Johnson limping that he banned television cameras from a practice on the second day of training camp.

Turner said the injury is no big deal, and Johnson and receiver Michael Westbrook seem to be developing some good early chemistry. Still, there's the nagging thought that Johnson may have to give way to Weldon or Rodney Peete if he's hit in the wrong spot come September. The Redskins offensive line allowed a franchise-record 61 sacks last season.

"You know he's frustrated," said Weldon, who has remained good friends with Johnson over the years. "Because he's a competitor and he's worked so hard. But he's the most positive guy I've ever been around my whole life."

And positive is the outlook Johnson will give, especially now that he's wearing the burgundy and gold.

"I just had a bad streak of injuries," Johnson said. "I feel like I recovered as quick as I could, and I'm just happy to be playing again."