Tre’ Johnson, the muscular offensive guard who starred at Temple University and built a nine-year NFL career that included a 1999 Pro Bowl selection, died suddenly on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026, his wife Irene Johnson announced. He was 54.
“It is with a heavy heart that I inform you that my husband, Tre’ Johnson, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on Sunday February 15, 2026, during a brief family trip,” Irene wrote.
“His four children, Chloe, EJ, EZ and Eden, extended family, friends, and I are devastated and in shock.”
Johnson’s story was one of steady rise, hard work, and reinvention. Born Edward Stanton “Tre’” Johnson III on Aug. 30, 1971, in New York City, he grew into one of Temple’s most decorated linemen.
At Temple, he was a three-time All-Big East selection, a Senior Bowl participant, and a finalist for major lineman awards. The school inducted him into its Athletics Hall of Fame in 2004.
The NFL came calling in 1994. Johnson was a second-round pick out of Temple and quickly established himself as a reliable, physical presence in the trenches.
He played the bulk of his professional career with the Washington Redskins through the late 1990s and early 2000s and spent time with the Cleveland Browns.
Across his career, he appeared in 93 games and made 72 starts, building a reputation for durability, technique, and grit.
His peers recognized him in 1999 with a Pro Bowl nod and All-Pro honors that reflected a peak season of elite play.
Those who watched him remembered a player who paired brute strength with technique, a lineman who made life easier for his teammates and rarely caved under pressure.
Former teammates and fans on social media paid tribute this week to Johnson’s toughness and competitiveness, remembering him as a “beast in the trenches” who competed with intelligence and relentlessness.
When Johnson left the field, he found a second calling in the classroom. He taught history at the Landon School in Bethesda, Maryland, where students and colleagues described him as a steady mentor and a teacher who pushed young men to think beyond sports.
School staff praised his patience and the genuine interest he took in students’ lives; many called him a role model who connected with adolescents through frank conversation and high standards.
His wife said he “lived for his kids’ sports activities,” and those who knew him off the field saw the same devotion.
Johnson rode motorcycles with a close circle of friends and loved French bulldogs, details that painted a fuller picture of a man whose identity extended well beyond football and the classroom.
Irene noted that recent health issues had forced him to take a leave of absence from teaching.
Johnson’s life, career, and sudden death have drawn a broad response. Former teammates, students, and fans shared memories and condolences online, while local outlets confirmed the death and noted his impact at Temple, in Washington, and in the Baltimore-Washington community where he taught.
The NFL and his former teams have not yet released formal statements as of this report.
Johnson’s honors and career milestones are straightforward: standout at Temple, second-round 1994 draft pick, Pro Bowl selection in 1999, and a long run as a starting NFL lineman.
But the obituary-style notes only tell part of the story. Close friends remember a man who could switch from pushing pads on the practice field to helping a teenager with a homework assignment, who relished family weekends and talked about life beyond the scoreboard.
Funeral plans have not been announced. In her message, Irene Johnson asked for privacy as the family mourns and thanked everyone offering support.
She and the children, Chloe, EJ, EZ, and Eden, are surviving him; extended family and former students are among those left to process the sudden loss.
Johnson’s arc, from standout small-school athlete to professional peak and then to teacher and mentor, is a common one in modern sports, but his combination of on-field success and off-field steadiness won him a particular kind of respect.
For Temple fans, he will be remembered as one of the program’s finest linemen; for Redskins fans, he will be recalled as a powerful protector of the pocket; for students and colleagues, he will be remembered as a steady voice in a classroom that demanded thoughtfulness and effort.
If you have remembrances or messages intended for the family, local obituary pages and the Landon School will publish details when arrangements are set.
For now, those who knew Tre’ Johnson, as a player, a teacher, a father, and a friend, are left to remember a life marked by toughness, steady work, and devotion to family.
Leave a Comment