Eagle Nation has learned a lot about redshirt senior tight end Beau Johnson in the last few months. They have learned about his cooking and more. But now, Eagle Nation can get another peek behind the curtain to see the motivators and influences in Beau's life, including some names that might surprise people.
 
Beau grew up as a multi-sport athlete, telling GSEagles that while football is his current passion, it really all started with baseball.
 
"Baseball was my first love," Beau explained.
 
And who else to guide that love for baseball than two-time Gold Glove and World Series Champion, Charles Johnson. Or, as Beau calls him, "Dad."
 
Indeed, having an All-Star father would drive a child into wanting to be a great player, especially getting to see your dad play on that stage. Beau says that the family would always make sure to watch his dad play, and that they were never apart for long.
 
"My mom actually had a rule for the family," Beau said. "We couldn't be apart for more than 10 days. Wherever our dad was, we would load up and go watch him after 10 days."
 
Charles Johnson is not the only family member of Beau's that made a name for himself on the basepaths. Another well-known athlete, Fred McGriff, better known as "Crime Dog," is also in the Johnson family tree.
 
McGriff, a 19-year veteran of Major League Baseball, was a five-time All-Star and a three-time Silver Slugger. He also won the 1995 World Series with the Atlanta Braves, playing in 2,460 total games before being enshrined forever in Cooperstown this year.
 
The superstar connections don't stop at baseball, as Beau brings up another family member who thrived in sports, but this time in football. Chad Johnson, or better known as "Ochocinco," was a six-time NFL Pro Bowler and named an All-Pro four times during his career, and he served as a great influence on Beau and his football career.
 
There's perhaps no great influence on Beau's football success than his brother, Brandon Johnson.
 
Brandon was a wide receiver for Tennessee his first five seasons before transferring to UCF in 2021. At UCF, Brandon was second in the conference and 16^th in the nation with 11 touchdown receptions, and had a touchdown catch in 10 of the 13 games the Knights played. Brandon signed with the Denver Broncos in 2022 as an undrafted free agent and made his NFL debut against the Las Vegas Raiders on Nov. 20, 2022. This season, Brandon caught a 50-yard Hail Mary from QB Russell Wilson to keep the game going against the Washington Commanders in week 2.
 
The Denver Broncos at Carolina Panthers game in 2022 for most people would be just another NFL regular season game, but for Beau and the rest of his family, that was a great memory they could all share together. Not only did they get to see Brandon's first NFL touchdown catch in the fourth quarter of the game, but they also got to see another individual who is close with the Johnson family, Brian Burns, Carolina's first round pick in the 2019 draft.
 
"That's probably one of my favorite sports memories," Beau said. "That was a special moment for my family."
 
Family is a key to Beau's success; he says it himself. Surrounding yourself with some of the best athletes in the world definitely helps lead to success, and Beau is proof of that. You can catch Beau Johnson and the Eagles against Texas State on Saturday, Nov. 4, in San Marcos, Texas, kicking-off at 5 p.m. on ESPN+.