GOTHENBURG, Sweden -- For evidence of the increasing popularity of American football, look no further than former Norfolk State running back Gerard Johnson.
Looking to continue his football career following his senior season at NSU in 2016, Johnson got a call from an unexpected place: Sweden. The Göteborg Marvels, based in Gothenburg, Sweden, learned of Johnson through a free agency database and wanted him to sign with the team.
"We eventually had some good conversations and I decided to give it a try," Johnson said.
American Football in Sweden isn't necessarily new, but it is growing in popularity as the sport's popularity in general has exploded in recent years. The sport was first played in Sweden in 1982. The top league, known as Superserien, began in 1991. The league plays games from April to June and includes both a men's and women's division.
"Football is starting to become bigger in Sweden," Johnson said. "But it's not their most popular sport, so they don't have as big of a fan base yet."
The Marvels are in their first season playing in the Superserien and were looking for some outside help to bolster their roster. Johnson fit the bill. The shifty running back, who ran for 837 yards and tallied 473 receiving yards over two seasons at NSU, hadn't played since scoring the winning touchdown on an 80-yard run against Hampton on his final carry as a collegiate player in 2016.
Johnson had stayed in shape, in part, by taking part in NASCAR's Drive for Diversity pit crew combine last year. He was part of the same pit crew recruiting class from NSU that included Brehanna Daniels, who made headlines by becoming the first African-American female to work on a pit crew on a national NASCAR series. But when Johnson got the call to continue his football career while training with NASCAR in Charlotte, he jumped at the chance. Even if that meant moving to a foreign country.
"It was a big difference, moving to a foreign country and getting used to the competition over here," Johnson said. "It's been an adjustment, but I've gotten used to it. There are some pretty decent athletes, but they haven't had much in the way of experienced coaching."
The Superserien limits how many "imports," or non-Swedish players, can be on each team. Johnson is one of just two Americans on his team, along with former Liberty standout Alpha Jalloh. Johnson's experience and versatility have played a key role for the Marvels. Expected to be the team's top running back coming into the year, Johnson has had to fill in at quarterback, a position he has not played since his days at Meadowbrook High School in Richmond.
Whether he's played running back or quarterback, Johnson has been one of the team's offensive standouts. He scored the only touchdown in the team's lone win so far this season, an 8-7 victory over the Uppsala 86ers earlier this month. Johnson passed for 216 yards and three touchdowns in the team's most recent game, a 45-27 loss to the Stockholm Mean Machines. At 1-4, the Marvels have three games remaining in the season and still are alive in the playoff race.
Johnson's transition to the country off the field has not been a difficult one. Aside from having to purchase a new cell phone for use in his new country, Johnson has found that he hasn't had to make too many adjustments.
"For the most part everyone can speak English," Johnson explained. "You just have to let them know (that you don't speak Swedish) and they'll will speak English around you. The food is not much different (than in the U.S.), but it definitely tastes fresher."
As for his future, Johnson is keeping an open mind.
"My goal is to keep working to get to the highest level," he said. "So, I'll continue to collect film and keep pushing to be ready for whatever comes next."
NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS
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