Each week a Blue Bombers player will answer questions from fans. This week, cornerback Jovon Johnson steps up to answer your questions.

Jovon, 

Where are you right now?

Right now I am home in Erie, Pennsylvania and boy do I miss being home with the family!  What is your plan for the offseason? Offseason plans for me are simple: Find out who wants me the most, go from there. I also have been working out, getting ready for the next turn my life might take. I'm ready to explore all the options.  Did you watch the Grey Cup? I know it was a couple of week’s ago now, but what were your thoughts on the ending? I didn't get to see the Grey Cup game. I heard all about it though. I spoke to Tad Kornegay afterwards and I'm assuming it wasn't pretty. Who wants to lose a game of that magnitude the way they did? At the end of the day in my eyes Montreal deserved to be champions anyhow. Everything happens for a reason, right? Well there you have, Als are champs.  

Let’s talk briefly about this season, first your cornerback play. Congratulations on a great season, what made you so strong on the corner?

Well I was focused for once in my life. My job was secure and I didn't have to try to do things out of the ordinary, although from people watching it might have looked like it. Also, I studied the game more than I have in the past years as well. I was in control of the way I played. Dedicating the season to my brother (his brother was murdered in September, 2008) made it that much easier to settle and become someone other players could learn from and look up too. Putting football first makes you a better player and it showed.  

Was it hard having to play so much with the struggling offence?

I mean, something’s are out of your control. I never really paid attention to what the offence was doing. If I could have helped them by being apart of it I would have. Maybe next year I'll play offense too. That would be so much fun, I could imagine myself running jet sweeps, reverses and even throwing a pass. I was a quarterback, remember.  All in all, we have the pieces, but it takes time for a offence to come together. With our constant quarterback switches and things like that, it made it hard for our receivers to adjust, in turn we had no one go over 1,000 (yards) which is rare in the CFL. 

You turned into a real demon on special teams with your return skills, did you return in College? Did you always know you could do that job or was it something that was slowly given to you?

Let's put it this way: since I've been a pro the only way for me to really showcase my value was being a demon on special teams until Winnipeg gave me the job at corner. So yes, I knew I could do it, but I didn't think I would because they thought it would affect my corner play. I did return in college, but I only returned punts –I don't know why they never let me return kickoffs. I was second to Reggie Bush in put return average, although I only scored 2 touchdowns, but I only did it for one season. So I kept asking to be the guy as the returner and they gave me the chance and I never looked back, I don't plan to ever!  You played at Iowa, what was that like? Iowa was an experience for me. Again, it was one of those things where they didn't really want me, but they offered me a scholarship last minute. I turned out to become the 2nd all time leader in interceptions and a guy who they could rely on in the return game. Not only was I a force covering receivers, I also had that mentality that if a running back ran my way I was going to make the play. I felt like I had everything to prove. There are guys who get all the college scholarships in the world, but talent wise they aren't that good. Then you have a guy like me, I did everything possible for my high school team, amassed over 30 touchdowns in one season, scoring every way possible – first  to ever do it. I felt like I should’ve been highly recruited. Can you tell how much it has affected me emotionally? That's another reason I go out on the field and do everything I possibly can. I love the fans of Winnipeg, because out of everybody they are the ones that realize that I can really play.  

You also played in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers, can you give us an idea of what it’s like to be an NFL player.

The NFL is a different ball game than the CFL, mainly because the NFL players get paid way more and the game is a bit different. Most players from America like the NFL style of game because its more in your face action versus the basketball style. I like both if you ask me. The NFL is very political in the sense that it’s not always about who is the better player, but it’s sometimes about if your prototypical size, style and how much that team is already paying you. It’s a business though and everyday you have to audition. That's NFL, you have to be the best you can be on a daily basis, but something’s are overlooked, especially for the veteran players. The Steelers though were the first to really give me the opportunity and for that I'm thankful. If they were to call for me again I'd be ready to play and that's just the way it goes.  

You had a great relationship with former Steelers coach Bill Cowher, do you think it would benefit you personally if he ever got a head coaching job again?

Coach Cowher and I definitely have a great relationship. I haven't spoke to him in a very long time, but from the way he treated me while in Pittsburgh I think he would at least give me a fair shot at playing for him. He understands my style of play and he loves me as a person. He knows that I am an athlete, but he never criticizes me about my size. We were definitely on the same page in Pittsburgh and I'm sure we would pick up right where we left off if the opportunity presented itself.  

Are you going to stay with the Bombers or go to the NFL?

You know, I don't know what is going to happen. I would explore either option, I am not opposed to either. Right about now the best offer wins that's the nature of the game and business. Free agents that are proven usually get treated like they proved themselves, so if Winnipeg decides they want my services and want me back as much as I hope the fans do then I'm all for that, but never will I decline an offer from the NFL unless its late and they want me for training camp only, then I'll certainly pass on that one. 

  Jovon, this was your second season in Winnipeg. It's been two different teams in those two seasons. What were some of the changes you and the remaining players went through from Doug Berry's team to Mike Kelly's team?

Well Coach Berry was more of a team coach, but he never really got to know me as a player. He only saw me play, but I was limited to what I could do because of where I was playing at. The thing Berry did do was allow me the job as a returner, again, only punts though, limiting what I could do. Whereas Coach Kelly really took the time out to get to know me as he did with all of us. We spoke frequently and he got to know what I was about, my background and everything. He allowed me to showcase what I had in store. I have a bottled up talent inside of me that is waiting to be unleashed. Coach Kelly allowed me to show parts of it, but a full season doing both will allow that bottled up talent to explode and everyone will see what I mean. 

 You played in Saskatchewan before coming to Winnipeg, although didn’t really get much of a chance there, from your experience being a Roughrider and Blue Bomber, which stadium is the crazier to play in?

I didn't play much in Saskatchewan, not to knock any of their players because I really enjoyed the guys, but the coaches and I never started out on a good foot. I never was given a legitimate opportunity there. The fans there love their team though so you've gotta give them that, they're very passionate. Again, one of those things that I have always faced in my career, but I was extremely pleased to get out of that place. Winnipeg fans have given me all that I could ask for. So the Bomber stadium for me is the place to be! I love it! 

You and your teammates in the secondary seem to thoroughly enjoy the game, and that may sound odd to people but you know what I mean. Can you talk about your relationship with those guys like Hefney, Lenny, Keyuo etc.

It's SWAGGERVILLE! I mean we were always together on and off the field. That's the way guys who play the same position get to know each other. That is why we were able to mesh so easily. We talked everyday outside of football about life, what motivates you, what types of things interest you, anything you could think of we have talked about. That made it easy for us to play together because it felt like we knew what to expect from each other on every play. They knew that with me they would get a sporadic exciting play from time to time, but always consistent. With Hefney we knew that he was the high energy type, always involved in everything, but a physical player that plays with emotion. Lenny was the leader of the pack of wolves because he had the most experience being an NFL starter and so on. He’s a tremendous specimen at 6'5 that could cover and would tell you he's the best lol! Keyuo the most laid back of all of us was the added mixture to bring us all together. He made remarkable play after remarkable play being on the wide side of the field, although he never really got much attention, he held it down over there. 

 What song gets you pumped up for a game?

There is this one song by Lloyd called "My Life". I love the song because for me its like having a heart to heart with myself. "Oh nobody knows about the struggle I been through, why I hustle like I do, I gotta provide for me people, yeah, and I done worked so hard, came to far to lose, can't stay still gotta stay on the move, live everyday with a point to prove"! That is the chorus, but it means a lot to me.  

What made you switch numbers at the beginning of this season?

I switched from #24 to #2 because I felt like the only way I could be at my best is to go back to the number where my little brother had the opportunity to see me play in person. He had went to a few of my college games, but high school games he was on the sideline giving out water to the guys. So I chose to be #2 and also it was the most successful number I've had in my career as a player so that's why I wanted it and look at the year I had so I guess it paid off!

 Fans often wonder what players do on the road, talk a bit about a road trip for you. If you guys win, do you go celebrate?

Road trips for me were pretty regular as to what I did. Usually when we landed in the opponents city we would check in to the hotel. After we checked in to the hotel we would go grab food. Then we would come back to the hotel and have meetings and stuff. That was pretty much the night before the game. The day of the game again we would eat and watch film relaxing until game time. Afterwards we would go out and party with the other teams players depending on what type of mood we were in.   

Thanks again for the support look forward to seeing everyone again! Stay in touch!
 Jovon.

Send your questions for next week's Q and A with Bombers running back Yvenson Bernard to bbombers@bluebombers.com, subject: Question for Yvenson.