KIRKBY: THIS OR THAT PODCAST - CFL EDITION

EPISODE: Brent Johnson

SPEAKERS: Brent Johnson, Tracey Watkins

FADE IN:

EXT. CIBC PRIVATE WEALTH OFFICE - DAY

(00:00)

A clean, white screen displays the CIBC PRIVATE WEALTH, KIRKBY WEALTH ADVISORY GROUP logo.

(00:02)

The text changes to display the name: BRENT JOHNSON.

(00:04)

The title expands: THE PERSON BEHIND THE PROFESSIONAL. A bold, cartoon graphic reading CFL EDITION appears, slightly tilted.

INT. OFFICE HALLWAY - DAY

(00:08)

TRACEY WATKINS, mid-30s, vibrant, wearing a large, orange and black BC LIONS football jersey with the name KIRKBY and the number 4 on the back, walks into a modern office hallway. She carries a large black gym bag and smiles directly at the camera.

(00:15)

TRACEY WATKINS

Not a lot of clients know this, but we have a football superstar on our team, and his name is Brent Johnson. He's a two-time Grey Cup champion.

(00:16)

CUT TO: A professional photograph of BRENT JOHNSON (wearing jersey #97 for the BC Lions) hoisting the Grey Cup trophy over his head on the field with a teammate (in jersey #64) and a crowd visible in the background. This highlights his two Grey Cup Championship wins (2006 and 2011).

(00:18)

TRACEY WATKINS (V.O.)

He won the Most Outstanding Canadian not once, but twice. He led the CFL in sacks not once, but twice.

(00:22)

CUT TO: A game action photo showing Brent Johnson (#97) tackling a player from the opposing team (likely the Montreal Alouettes, wearing #13). This illustrates his skill as the CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player and the league's sack leader.

(00:24)

TRACEY WATKINS (V.O.)

He's the Lions' sack leader until last year, 2024. He's a CFL Hall of Famer. He's CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player. He has 89 career sacks. He sacked Tom Brady in 1999. Yeah, the real Tom Brady.

(00:29)

CUT TO: A black and white portrait of Brent Johnson in a suit, holding a football with the CFHOF (Canadian Football Hall of Fame) logo, next to the text "Brent Johnson Class of 2018". This confirms his Hall of Fame induction and career legacy.

(00:31)

CUT TO: A game action photo showing Brent Johnson (#97) rushing the quarterback who is about to throw the ball.

(00:33)

CUT TO: A close-up, low-angle shot of Brent Johnson (#97) in his defensive end stance, ready for the snap. A classic football action shot emphasizing his position.

(00:35)

TRACEY WATKINS (V.O.)

And his coach, Wally Buono, was once quoted saying, "I think Brent was the type of player that comes around once every 50 years because of his skill set, his qualities, and his character." I don't know anybody who has ever met Brent Johnson that doesn't like him. Lets go do a little CFL "This or That" with Brent Johnson.

INT. PODCAST STUDIO - DAY

(00:56)

BRENT JOHNSON, mid-40s, sharp but relaxed, sits in a chair facing a microphone on a small white table. He wears a black polo shirt.

BRENT JOHNSON

(Visual: Brent gestures with his hand. Tracey enters and sits across the table from him. A screen behind them cycles through images related to Brent's career.) Oh my gosh. I'm I'm gonna love this. That's like a dress on you.

(01:06)

TRACEY WATKINS

(Laughing) I love the little "Ah!" That's okay. Surprise.

BRENT JOHNSON

Surprise, you look great in it, though.

TRACEY WATKINS

We're doing a little CFL "This or That" with Brent Johnson.

BRENT JOHNSON

CFL "This or That," I love this.

TRACEY WATKINS

Okay, this is rapid fire.

BRENT JOHNSON

Okay.

TRACEY WATKINS

CFL Football Edition.

BRENT JOHNSON

Are we getting are we getting right into it?

TRACEY WATKINS

We're getting right into it.

BRENT JOHNSON

Right into it. Okay, no time to thank.

TRACEY WATKINS

I have a list of questions.

(01:27)

BRENT JOHNSON

Rapid fire. I'll do my best.

(01:28)

TRACEY WATKINS

(Visual: The studio screen displays Brent's Wikipedia page search results with various photos, including the one in sunglasses he jokes about. This is used during the "This or That" game setup where Tracey and Brent are discussing his background and the Wikipedia images.) Wait, wait, define rapid fire. Like, is it have to like boom?

BRENT JOHNSON

Yeah.

TRACEY WATKINS

Like this or that.

BRENT JOHNSON

This or that.

TRACEY WATKINS

And I read over your facts. I didn't realize I I put into chat GPT, who is Brent Johnson and it looked quite the superstar.

BRENT JOHNSON

Oh, really?

TRACEY WATKINS

Oh my gosh, that's awesome.

BRENT JOHNSON

Does that look okay, though? Vertical?

TRACEY WATKINS

Yeah.

BRENT JOHNSON

I'll switch them out every now and then. Look how big I was.

TRACEY WATKINS

I know, you were a tank.

BRENT JOHNSON

I really was.

TRACEY WATKINS

You were the defense- I didn't know you sacked Tom Brady.

BRENT JOHNSON

Tommy Boy. Played against him a but well, not a bunch, couple years. Yeah, that's crazy.

TRACEY WATKINS

That's crazy.

BRENT JOHNSON

Did you know he was not very good back when he No, okay, I actually watched the documentary on him, and he wasn't very good, but he was so dedicated. And then he became.

TRACEY WATKINS

No, okay, I actually watched the documentary on him and he wasn't very good but he was so dedicated and then he became.

BRENT JOHNSON

Yeah, he was a baseball player.

TRACEY WATKINS

He was like one of the last pick, wasn't he}? And he actually got like.

BRENT JOHNSON

He wasn't like the last pick, but he was like, yeah, like way back in the draft. He like you're probably not going to be around very long, where his draft pick was.

TRACEY WATKINS

Mm, and then he just, what made him so good then?

BRENT JOHNSON

Uh, opportunity and he worked really hard with that opportunity. Like, he's got an amazing work ethic. He's really smart. Um, and he.

TRACEY WATKINS

Good attitude, doesn't he]?

BRENT JOHNSON

Yeah, super good attitude, but like he had some things just fall in line, not fall in his lap, but fall in line, that he actually make a name for himself. And it all and he did. He capitalized on it. Yeah, for sure.

TRACEY WATKINS

Good answer. Okay, this is a so fun. My little Kirkby.

(02:29)

TRACEY WATKINS

(Visual: The screen zooms in on a photo from a newspaper article titled "B.C. Lions legend Brent Johnson slims down, gears up in post-CFL life". The article is visible on the screen during their conversation about his transition from football to finance.) I think I got Cam that jersey.

BRENT JOHNSON

There it is. The glasses. Yeah, that's the one.

TRACEY WATKINS

If you want a good one. Look at the one down low, at least I got some arms on me.

BRENT JOHNSON

No, not that one. Look at that bouffant.

TRACEY WATKINS

Oh, no.

BRENT JOHNSON

That one, number 97.

TRACEY WATKINS

Hey, 97's my favorite.

BRENT JOHNSON

That's not going to look as good on the.

TRACEY WATKINS

Orange isn't my color, Brent. I wish you were with the uh, who's blue? What team's blue?

BRENT JOHNSON

Toronto.

TRACEY WATKINS

Toronto. Okay. Yeah, that one a little better choice. Okay, actually, Adam, let's totally put a football background up.

BRENT JOHNSON

No, I can't.

TRACEY WATKINS

Do the full screen. Oh, I can't.

BRENT JOHNSON

Yeah.

TRACEY WATKINS

Okay, Brent, two-time Grey Cup champion.

BRENT JOHNSON

Wait, do you want this to be spontaneous? Cuz we knew you were coming?

TRACEY WATKINS

No, no, I'm not. I'm just talking about the facts I learned about you.

BRENT JOHNSON

Oh, okay.

TRACEY WATKINS

Okay.

BRENT JOHNSON

Okay, well, yeah.

(03:04)

CUT TO: The screen displays a full-body, in-game photo of Brent Johnson in his BC Lions uniform (#97) running. This image remains on the screen during the rapid-fire "This or That" segment.

TRACEY WATKINS

Okay, this is rapid fire, this or that with Brent Johnson, CFL, BC Lions superstar.

BRENT JOHNSON

Well, superstar, I'll use your word. Yeah, superstar. Okay.

TRACEY WATKINS

Okay, who do you play for? It's not the BC Lions. Saskatchewan Roughriders or Edmonton Elks?

BRENT JOHNSON

Saskatchewan.

TRACEY WATKINS

Saskatchewan. Yeah. Sack Tom Brady again or win the CFL again? But modern-day Tom Brady, like the one that's winning all the.

BRENT JOHNSON

Whoa, wait, the retired one? Like, I would get to assault No, like, in his prime of, uh, Patriots. I'd rather win a championship again, for sure.

TRACEY WATKINS

You'd rather win a championship again? Okay. Most despised rival, Michigan Wolverines or Saskatchewan Roughriders?

BRENT JOHNSON

Michigan Wolverines.

TRACEY WATKINS

Didn't even have to finish the sentence.

BRENT JOHNSON

Go Blue.

TRACEY WATKINS

NFL or College Football?

BRENT JOHNSON

College.

TRACEY WATKINS

I knew you're going to say that. Sack Ricky Ray or silence the Roughriders crowd?

BRENT JOHNSON

Silence the Roughriders crowd.

TRACEY WATKINS

They are so annoying. Playing with the Lions or working with the Kirkby team?

BRENT JOHNSON

Oh, that is a decision. Hm. How do I word this? Uh, I've put my time in with the Lions, and I love the people I work with, so I'm I'd be with the Kirkby team. Yeah.

TRACEY WATKINS

We love you. Best quarterback. Now, excuse me if I butcher the names, but Lulay or Dickinson?

BRENT JOHNSON

Ooh, another tough one. Um, I would say Dave Dickenson in regards to, you know, just his resume and that. Travis probably didn't have as much talent around him as Dave was afforded.

TRACEY WATKINS

Good answer. You really are good at answering these, because you know the passion behind it.

BRENT JOHNSON

I'm really good at this stuff. Yeah.

TRACEY WATKINS

Okay, um, best Grey Cup, '06 or 2011?

BRENT JOHNSON

'06.

TRACEY WATKINS

Okay, why?

BRENT JOHNSON

Uh, it was our first one. And it just felt like we were sort of destined to do that, and it all sort of came together. 2011 was fantastic in regards to I knew it was going to be my last game. But it was a totally different season, different team, love them, but the '06 one The vibe in '06 was the winner.

TRACEY WATKINS

Yeah. Yeah. Something about the first. Okay. Most cherished award, CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian or Most Outstanding Defensive Player?

BRENT JOHNSON

Defensive Player.

TRACEY WATKINS

Okay, why?

BRENT JOHNSON

Um, the Canadian one is lovely and it's fantastic, and it's really nice to be recognized, but the defensive one doesn't take into nationality or anything. It's just kind of like, you know, if you are the best player on on defense throughout the league, then this is awarded to you, and and thankfully I got to have that opportunity.

TRACEY WATKINS

Well, I have to say when I was doing my research, uh, how do you pronounce your coach's last name? Buono. Yeah.

BRENT JOHNSON

Buono, yeah.

TRACEY WATKINS

He had he had said something about you being one of the best defensive or just players in general on either side of the border for a good portion of time. So,

BRENT JOHNSON

Yeah, well, that's very kind of him. And and you know, he kept me around, I guess. We both benefited from each other. But, yeah, no, he definitely uh.

TRACEY WATKINS

Sounds like you guys had a good relationship.

BRENT JOHNSON

Super good. Still do.

TRACEY WATKINS

Yeah. Okay, so that segues into my next question. Best coach, Buono or Cooper?

BRENT JOHNSON

Buono.

TRACEY WATKINS

Okay. Do I want to say why, or is that too personal, and you don't want to?

BRENT JOHNSON

No, no, you can say why. Uh, just a longer time frame, um, I find professional ranks, other than college, college you're in a different person, different zone in your life, where professional there's I I think you just, you're more of a you are more of an employee, but you're also more of like you're grown up a bunch more and you can relate to other adults.

TRACEY WATKINS

So true. Yeah. Okay. Strip sack or pick six? And I have to be honest, I didn't know what either of those things were.

BRENT JOHNSON

Ooh, again, that's tough, too. Uh, I would say a strip sack and then pick it up and run it in for a touchdown. So, sort of like a pick six.

TRACEY WATKINS

That's your That's your dream play. Because you're not likely going to do a pick six, right?

BRENT JOHNSON

Yeah, yeah.

TRACEY WATKINS

Okay, so, okay, yeah, explain the both.

BRENT JOHNSON

Uh, no, not not generally. So, a strip sack is quarterback drops back to pass. He's looking for his receiver. You come around, you sack him, you tackle him. And while you tackle him, you knock the ball out. Your team recovers or hopefully you recover the ball. And if you can and you're not down and touched, you can pick up and run for a touchdown, which you know, stat-wise it looks up loads you up.

TRACEY WATKINS

Yeah.

BRENT JOHNSON

And a pick six is would be like someone in my position, we do drop back into pass coverage, meaning we don't go after the quarterback, we actually fall back into a like a zone sort of thing on the field, and then if the quarterback screws up and throws the ball to you or close to you, and you intercept it, you can run it back in for a touchdown. Yeah.

TRACEY WATKINS

Okay. Yeah. Okay. I love both of them, but I I love the fact that you want the strip sack.

BRENT JOHNSON

Yeah, yeah, I'll take both. Yeah, yeah.

TRACEY WATKINS

Um, okay, are you a locker room leader or a quiet enforcer?

BRENT JOHNSON

I would be I wouldn't be a locker room- Yeah, well, a locker room leader in the sense that, you know, I'm not a raw-raw person, and I don't tend to be overly vocal until you have to be. And so, I kind of let people's personalities sort of generally, you know, guide them until the personality becomes a liability.

TRACEY WATKINS

Then you're the enforcer.

BRENT JOHNSON

Well, then you have to start talking.

TRACEY WATKINS

Were you a leader on the Lions? Were you uh?

BRENT JOHNSON

Uh, presumptuous, but probably yes. Yeah.

TRACEY WATKINS

Yeah, hey, facts are facts.

BRENT JOHNSON

Yeah.

TRACEY WATKINS

Um, chirping the QB or letting your skills do the talking?

BRENT JOHNSON

Mm, a little bit of both. Little bit- depends who the quarterback was. If I knew the quarterback really well, I would not lay off him.

TRACEY WATKINS

Oh, this is a side of you I didn't know existed.

BRENT JOHNSON

Yeah, yeah.

TRACEY WATKINS

Home opener energy or Grey Cup pressure?

BRENT JOHNSON

Home like Home opener, sorry, let me say that one again. Yeah, yeah, yeah, Home opener. Okay. Home opener.

TRACEY WATKINS

Home opener energy or Grey Cup pressure?

BRENT JOHNSON

Grey Cup pressure.

TRACEY WATKINS

Yeah, you work well under stress.

BRENT JOHNSON

Yeah, I like that. Yeah.

TRACEY WATKINS

Okay. Which was tougher, or, no, which age was tougher?

TRACEY WATKINS

2000 CFL or the league today?

BRENT JOHNSON

This is a really hard answer. Um, I've actually had this conversation with coaches now. Uh, 2000.

TRACEY WATKINS

2000. Different game now.

BRENT JOHNSON

It is a different game. It's a it's a better game. It's a safer game. You know, for the longevity of the players.

TRACEY WATKINS

People are more concerned about injuries and concussions and stuff.

BRENT JOHNSON

Injuries and just there's a better relationship between the players and the coaches and the health staff now than there ever was. There always was a good relationship, but it's even more so now, and I think for you looking out for the health of the players, yeah, absolutely.

TRACEY WATKINS

Better today. Okay. Well, I mean different. Safer today.

BRENT JOHNSON

It was it was tough, it was a bit more of a not tougher, but just more of a grind 20 years ago than it would be now. Yeah.

TRACEY WATKINS

Interesting. Okay. Stadium nachos or team nutritionist meal plan? And be honest after that Saturday chat.

BRENT JOHNSON

I suppose nachos.

TRACEY WATKINS

(Chuckles) Being remembered for your stats or for your leadership?

BRENT JOHNSON

Uh, I think leadership, for sure.

TRACEY WATKINS

Okay. Single-season sack record or career consistency?

BRENT JOHNSON

Career consistency.

TRACEY WATKINS

Okay. Being inducted into the BC Lions Hall of Fame or the Canadian Football Hall of Fame?

BRENT JOHNSON

Ooh, you got me on the spot here. Uh, probably the the Lions in because.

TRACEY WATKINS

Just was your people, it was your team, it was your Yeah, yeah.

BRENT JOHNSON

It was my team. And it was just the only place and to be recognized like that is fantastic. On on a national level of the CFL level, fantastic to be voted in by your peers and things like that. So,

TRACEY WATKINS

Oh, that was how it is. It's voted in by your peers. Yeah.

BRENT JOHNSON

But the Lions That's Both are an honor.

TRACEY WATKINS

Yeah.

BRENT JOHNSON

Both are, but to be, you know, definitive, I would say the Lions, yeah.

TRACEY WATKINS

Okay.

BRENT JOHNSON

Yeah.

TRACEY WATKINS

Um, okay, best moment or memory on the field?

(12:54)

CUT TO: A photo of Brent Johnson (#97) on the field, smiling with his wife Lara who is holding their baby son Roman. This image appears right after Brent shares that his best moment was winning the Grey Cup and having his wife and newborn son there.

BRENT JOHNSON

Um, uh, when we actually won the the last Grey Cup and Lara and my wife Lara and Roman, who was just born. We still have the picture and we have us sort of like celebrating with all the confetti coming down.

TRACEY WATKINS

Oh, that's a you got to share that photo.

(13:01)

CUT TO: A vertical shot of Brent Johnson on the field, still in uniform, being embraced and kissed by his wife, Lara, surrounded by confetti and media after the Grey Cup win. Another image emphasizing his cherished memory with his family.

BRENT JOHNSON

Yeah. And it was a really good moment. And because Roman was like four weeks old at that point.

TRACEY WATKINS

I love that moment when like the NFL the after the Super Bowl when all the families like come on to the field or whatever.

BRENT JOHNSON

Yeah, I love that.

TRACEY WATKINS

Yeah.

BRENT JOHNSON

Yeah.

TRACEY WATKINS

Three downs or four downs?

BRENT JOHNSON

So, this will be a good little contradictive, but I actually prefer four downs because you get to you're on the field more to play defense, but as I got, but as I got older, three downs are just fine, too. It's less it's more of a running game, four downs, which can be really fun playing defense against.

TRACEY WATKINS

Is is being the defensive position that you are, is that a physically exhausting role?

BRENT JOHNSON

Yes, but not for the reasons that you would think. It's more exhausting because you're what's what's called pass rushing a lot. You're you're going after the quarterback on a passing play, which is kind of like you're always at a disadvantage because the people you're going against are like 6'6", 350 pounds. So, you're like wrestling a giant. Yeah, but they're like giants to me. So, you get pretty exhausted that way. It's not as physical, though, as say being a linebacker or being a.

TRACEY WATKINS

You're taking the hard hits, but you're not necessarily doing the long miles of running, right]?

BRENT JOHNSON

You're doing more of the hitting, but a lot of the wrestling part that you're getting to is just exhausting.

TRACEY WATKINS

Oh, I could imagine. Hit like Aaron Donald or dance like Travis Kelce?

BRENT JOHNSON

Well, Travis. I wish I could dance like that.

TRACEY WATKINS

Oh, your answer could have been Travis because I already hit like Aaron Donald.

BRENT JOHNSON

I didn't say that, but I really don't hit that hard.

TRACEY WATKINS

Gatorade color, blue or purple?

BRENT JOHNSON

Ooh, I'm going to have to throw an audible on this and say, um, uh, green.

TRACEY WATKINS

Okay. Why?

BRENT JOHNSON

Yeah. Just lime. It's it's classic and.

TRACEY WATKINS

Classic. Okay. I was going to do green, and then I swapped her out for purple. Good.

BRENT JOHNSON

Yeah.

TRACEY WATKINS

Okay. Halftime oranges or post-game wings?

BRENT JOHNSON

Ooh, I'm wingy dingies. Wing me. Yeah.

TRACEY WATKINS

Overnight in Regina or double OT in Winnipeg?

BRENT JOHNSON

I'll take the OT in Winnipeg than staying in Regina. Sorry, Saskatchewan. It's just the truth.

TRACEY WATKINS

Touchdown at BC Place or Snow Bowl win in Calgary?

BRENT JOHNSON

Touchdown BC Place, yeah.

TRACEY WATKINS

Playing at BC Place pre or post-renovation? And now, I don't know if you played it at pre-renovation, but.

BRENT JOHNSON

Yeah, I did. Uh, can I go into some detail?

TRACEY WATKINS

Please.

BRENT JOHNSON

It is absolutely gorgeous right now, the way that they renovated it and that. It's absolutely beautiful. There's HD screens everywhere. It looks beautiful on TV and all that. Except the old place would turn into this muggy swamp because there was no ventilation or anything, and I absolutely loved playing in that.

TRACEY WATKINS

Why?

BRENT JOHNSON

Because teams would come in and they're already like the game. Yeah, they're already off their game, and they're like three hours ahead from the East and that, and they'd be tired. And by like, and if it was a night game, by like 10:00, they'd be like looking for pillows to like lay down. And it was so warm in there. It was like a sauna. And we would just have like a it was like a racetrack.

TRACEY WATKINS

Home-team advantage. You guys would acclimatize.

BRENT JOHNSON

Yeah, yeah, home team advantage, yeah. It was lovely. I loved it.

TRACEY WATKINS

Okay. Um, CFL All-Star or NFL no-name?

BRENT JOHNSON

Oh, I would say I pulled off the NFL no-name, so like the CFL All-Star was much.

TRACEY WATKINS

CFL All-Star.

BRENT JOHNSON

Yeah, yeah.

TRACEY WATKINS

Okay.

BRENT JOHNSON

Yeah.

TRACEY WATKINS

Giselle Bündchen or Taylor Swift?

BRENT JOHNSON

Ooh, I jumped on that quick. Ooh, Bündchen. She's beautiful.

TRACEY WATKINS

She is.

BRENT JOHNSON

Taylor is entertaining.

TRACEY WATKINS

You know what?

BRENT JOHNSON

I don't listen to a lot of her music though I've listened to a fair bit because there's people around me and they everyone listens to it. But she seems like a really nice person, so.

TRACEY WATKINS

And she's tall, so you can take her.

BRENT JOHNSON

And she's tall. So, you can handle her.

TRACEY WATKINS

Uh, so is Giselle, though, so.

BRENT JOHNSON

Maybe Giselle, then.

TRACEY WATKINS

Yeah. Uh, okay. Suit up with Wally Buono again or coach the D-line?

BRENT JOHNSON

Uh, oh, yeah, no suiting up anymore. Uh, so, coach the D-line.

TRACEY WATKINS

Coach the D-line. Okay. Those are my Okay, so, those are my last ones, and then I'll just ask a couple basic um football questions. Okay, you you're starting your football career.

BRENT JOHNSON

Yeah.

TRACEY WATKINS

You have no stats, no wins. Would you rather have a national championship or a Grey Cup?

BRENT JOHNSON

This is a really hard answer. Um, I think I would I would pick the national championship, and and the reason why is we got so close so many times in university, and just didn't get the deal done, and it feels like completely feels unfinished. And and I got no, you know, I can't go back in time for that. So,

TRACEY WATKINS

So, that would be your choice.

BRENT JOHNSON

Well, yeah, because I've experienced the other one and I absolutely love it, but the one that got away is the one that got away, and you're always thinking about that.

TRACEY WATKINS

Um, okay, and I was reading some stuff that your coach, uh, Buono, has said about you.

BRENT JOHNSON

You got to do like that, Buono, yeah.

TRACEY WATKINS

Has said about you, and he just said you were extremely intelligent. Now, sometimes people don't equate big football players with extremely intelligent, so then that begs the question of, how did someone who was in sports and athletics for so long transition into a world of finance and the industry that we're in because it's very different niches.

BRENT JOHNSON

Completely different. Yeah.

TRACEY WATKINS

And not a lot of people could excel in both of those roles. It's.

BRENT JOHNSON

Well, I think I think what got me interested in the world that we're living in now and where we're working and as a team together, um, initially was sparked by um when I was in the NFL with Jacksonville. And when you're when you're early on in the NFL, you go to the you go to your your fall camp, right]? And it takes up all of August pretty much. They're in camp right now. Yeah. And so, they would bring in all these speakers um just to sort of give everyone in the room on the team um some a peak into not only um different jobs and that, because we all know this like game that we play is can end really quickly, right]? Yeah. And so you're you're only and another thing too is that you're you're making, you know, fairly good money early on in your life, and it's like what are you going to do with it all? So, this this gentleman came in and I believe he was from like Goldman Sachs or something like that down in the States. Anyway, he gave a really good um uh discussion, he put on a really good discussion about how this is such a short finite time in your life that you're going to have these things, and you know, you if if you don't know how to manage your personal finances, you employ someone that does or get near someone that does, because most of the time this ends way too quickly, and you're going to be left there standing like, well, you know, what did I do with all my money?

TRACEY WATKINS

Oh, the introduction to that side of the world.

BRENT JOHNSON

Yeah, more interest into that side of the world. And then, you know, when I finally got released from there and then signed with the Lions here, I was I was always sort of working my way in towards this world. I just didn't really know how I was going to fit or how I was going to integrate or I was just so I still wanted to play enough football. So, I was very fortunate that I I I really put a lot of effort into going out and meeting a lot of people and meeting a lot of people in this world. And so that I could transition at the time when it was right to retire or if something happened, injury or something, that I have this next thing to go to, this next step. Yeah. And, you know, it wasn't always like, oh, this is what I exactly want to do. I didn't know exactly what that was, but I sort of whittled away at it as the years went on. And I was very fortunate to have a long enough career that it wasn't like abruptly, yeah.

TRACEY WATKINS

Yeah, it wasn't a sudden retirement.

BRENT JOHNSON

I'm here, and you have to go because a lot of people don't get to decide.

TRACEY WATKINS

Yeah. And so, um, what how did you end up with the Kirkby team?

BRENT JOHNSON

So, good story is that, um,

TRACEY WATKINS

Cuz you were in Calgary, you had moved cuz Lara had got a job, your wife had gotten a job.

BRENT JOHNSON

Yeah, my wife took a job in Calgary, uh, for a very short time. And then so I was already with with Gundy at the time as solo. I always knew I wanted to be part of a team. Just coming from my background, I knew I wanted to be part of a team. Uh, A, I don't I don't like doing things on my own and just sort of, you know, like I want people to bounce ideas off of. I want to, I, you know, I want like a team atmosphere. And it just for me, that's where I flourish. And, um, so I was looking for that always. But, early on in my career at least, uh, with CIBC, is that, you know, you really don't get a lot of choice. You kind of just they they kind of go, "Okay, like, we're going to train you up. We're going to make sure that you're ready to go. All those sort of things. And then, we're going to ease you into some, you know, uh, maybe some possible teams that you might want, or you can decide not to do it." I was very much stressing that I'd like to to have a team. So, the the the GM that was in Calgary uh um knew Cam really, really well. Yeah. And so, when we were moving back to Vancouver with my wife's work, um, he he had reached out to me and said, "You know, there's this guy, Cam Kirkby, who's our senior, you know, guy here, obviously, he just had uh two other managers or retire advisors retire, and um, they're looking for a spot."

TRACEY WATKINS

They're looking for someone.

BRENT JOHNSON

"And you might be a good fit." So, I called Cam, like, that day. And then, when we moved back, I came out to the office and we chatted and everything. And we just sort of clicked. Yeah. And, um, the rest is sort of history. Then,

TRACEY WATKINS

I remember the game. First locked in.

BRENT JOHNSON

Yeah, pretty green, but Yeah, yeah, that was, you know, 11 years ago.

TRACEY WATKINS

You were a big guy then, though. Like, not that you're not a big guy now, but you were football.

BRENT JOHNSON

I was still a little more football.

TRACEY WATKINS

Yeah, you looked more football then. But, um, this, okay, this is just a side note. So,

BRENT JOHNSON

Maybe I just scared Cam into hiring me.

TRACEY WATKINS

No, he had a crush. Um, so, how did it feel when you were inducted into the BC Lions Hall of Fame? Like, what was that moment when you, how did you find out, and what was that moment like for you?

BRENT JOHNSON

Um, I found out at our ring ceremony. So, we won the Grey Cup in 2011, and then so we were at some.

TRACEY WATKINS

Was that your final year?

BRENT JOHNSON

The 2011 was my final year. The Grey Cup 2011, so yeah, yeah, went out on a high note. And, uh, I knew I was going to probably retire, especially if we won the Grey Cup. So, that all kind of worked out. And then, we were at a ring ceremony. So, you get your ring and stuff like that. And it was probably like three months after that, like in February or something. And I found out then, no, it was even longer than that. It was like five months after that. I found out then that they were going to retire my number and and put me in the retire your number? Yeah, and it's hanging up in the stadium, which was amazing. Yeah.

TRACEY WATKINS

Oh, that's a huge honor.

BRENT JOHNSON

Yeah. But it was really surreal, um, because you, uh, remember just how how long a road it was. I remember first getting out here and coming to the West Coast and and flying out.

TRACEY WATKINS

Had you ever been to Vancouver before?

BRENT JOHNSON

No.

TRACEY WATKINS

Cuz you're out here from Ontario.

BRENT JOHNSON

Yeah. I'm from Ontario. I lived throughout the states and stuff like that for years and, uh, but like, I remember coming out here with just the idea like, oh, I'm going to play here for a while and let's just see where this takes me. So, I remember the actual ceremony, and when they when they did the number retirement and all that sort of stuff, and it was just really surreal, but also, um, you know, just so heartfelt and and emotional. Yeah, just how long a road it was.

TRACEY WATKINS

Yeah. That was a long career.

BRENT JOHNSON

And I was really fortunate to Yeah, long career. Very fortunate just to stay healthy. Yeah. And in one like with one team.

TRACEY WATKINS

Yeah. That's crazy.

BRENT JOHNSON

Yeah, it is. It is. It's almost unheard of now. Yeah.

TRACEY WATKINS

Yeah. Well, I have to say on behalf of the whole team, we're really happy you found our way your way to us.

BRENT JOHNSON

Even Steve?

TRACEY WATKINS

Yeah.

BRENT JOHNSON

I love you guys.

TRACEY WATKINS

We love you. Oh, that was awesome. Thank you.

BRENT JOHNSON

Yeah. No, it was really good. I loved talking about that.