Team

PRO: Drafted in the seventh round by the Bills with the 224th overall pick in 2008… is the 5th Wildcat to be drafted by Buffalo…Third Kentucky wide receiver selected in team history, and first since 1963 (Thomas Hutchinson, 2nd round pick).

2008:
• Dressed for the first time in NFL career, but did not see action at StL (9/28)
• Saw his first action in the NFL at Arz. (10/5) and recorded his first career reception for a gain of eight yards
• Caught one pass for eight yards vs. NYJ (11/2), in his second game of his career
• Posted one reception for 15 yards at NE (11/9)
• Set career and season-highs with three catches for 41 yards vs. Cle. (11/17)… posted a career-long 21-yard gain in third quarter
• Recorded his first touchdown of his career on a two-yard pass from JP Losman at NYJ (12/14)… became the 10th different player on the team with a touchdown catch this in 2008… finished with two catches for 13 yards and one carry for six yards
• Posted his second touchdown of career at Den. (12/21)… became the first Bills rookie to catch a touchdown in consecutive games since Lee Evans (2004)

COLLEGE: Became the fourth player in Kentucky history to gain over 1,000 yards receiving in a season…His 13 touchdown catches were one shy of the school season-record… Gained 1,041 yards receiving in 2007… All-SEC first-team selection by the College Football News …Named the team’s Most Improved Offensive Player by the coaching staff … Ranked second in the SEC with an average of 80.8 yards receiving per game …caught two game-winning touchdown passes – a 57-yarder with 28 seconds left vs. Louisville and a seven-yarder in triple OT vs. No. 1 ranked LSU…Sociology major.

PERSONAL: Son of Steve Johnson Sr. and Andre and Rhonda Lewis…Married to his wife, Britney, and has a two-year old daughter, Miyah…Cousin, Marquise Lewis, played football at Kentucky State…Stepfather is Andre Lewis, a music producer and renowned community activist in the San Francisco Area…Did not play varsity football until his school added a program his junior year of high school at Rodriguez High School in Fairfield, CA….Started at running back as a junior and quarterback as a senior, in addition to playing safety, linebacker, and end on defense…Earned All-State and first-team All-Conference honors and was named Most Valuable Player of the East-West Shrine All-Star Game following his senior season…Also played two years of basketball and was second-team All-Conference.

COMMUNITY: In 2008, Steve participated in the Toyota Rookie Club appearing at numerous community events throughout Western New York and Southern Ontario.  The Toyota Rookie Club helps the franchises newest players become more involved in the Western New York community. Each month, Steve and all first year players did one community appearance as a group.   The Toyota Rookie Club events included a visit to Women’s and Children’s Hospital of Buffalo to paint ceiling tiles for the rooms and hallways and host a pizza party, a visit to the Lincoln M. Alexander Secondary School in Mississauga, Ontario to discuss the importance of sport and activity with the student-athletes and to present the football team with $3,000 in new equipment for the school’s football program, and a trip to the Northwest Buffalo Community Center in November 2008 where the Rookie Club Members served Thanksgiving Dinner to approximately 300 children and families.  In addition to serving food, the players introduced themselves to the community members during a brief ceremony, sat and ate with them, and signed autographs.

The final Rookie Club appearance of 2008 took place at the Annual Bills Holiday Party.  The Rookie Club and Bills veterans hosted nearly 100 children from a number of different local community organizations. The Annual Holiday Party gives children from the organizations an opportunity to celebrate the holidays with the Bills players, Jills cheerleaders, Billy Buffalo, and Santa Claus. The children received a holiday dinner, pictures and autographs and gifts from a wish list that they had previously submitted.