Professional football and coaching career
Justin went unselected in the 1977 NFL draft. [4] He spent the entire 1977 season as a free agent. [3] In 1978, he trained with several Los Angeles Rams players and one of them convinced the team to give Justin an invite to the spring minicamp. [3] The team had many defensive backs at the time and one coach suggested that Justin go to play for the minor league Southern California Rhinos, which he did for the season. [3] His performance there led him to receive interest again from the Rams, and they signed him for the 1979 season after buying out his rights from the Rhinos for $1,500. [3]
Justin was considered a long shot to make the team, but impressed in preseason for his talent in man-to-man coverage and quickness. [4] Ultimately, however, he was one of five released at the final roster cuts in August. [4] Shortly after, at the start of September, he was re-signed due to an injury to Jeff Severson. [5] Justin went on to appear in 13 games for the Rams that year, recording one interception and making an 80-yard blocked field goal return touchdown, the only score of his career, before being placed on injured reserve in mid-December due to a pulled hamstring suffered on the blocked field goal return. [6] [7] [8] [9] While he was on injured reserve, the Rams went on to be runners-up in Super Bowl XIV against the Pittsburgh Steelers. [10]
| External videos | |
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 1979 Week 13 - Rams vs. 49ers (1979). Video of Justin's only career touchdown from 48:40–50:14. |
Justin was waived by the Rams on August 13, 1980, and was then claimed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. [9] [11] He was waived by Tampa Bay on August 25. [12] He traveled to Canada and signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL) on c. September 6. [13] Justin played two games for the Blue Bombers, posting one interception return for two yards before being released at the end of the month. [1] [14]
Justin returned to the NFL and signed with the Buffalo Bills in February 1981. [15] [16] He was placed on injured reserve on August 17 and was released on August 31. [15] [17] He joined the Baltimore Colts for the 1982 season. [18] Justin made the team and was the starting right cornerback to begin the season. [19] He appeared in a total of five games, two as a starter, before suffering a cracked vertebrae which sidelined him for the rest of the season. [1] [20] Justin was waived by the Colts in March 1983. [21]
Justin had a brief stint with the Kansas City Chiefs after being waived by the Colts, but was released in July. [22] In October, he was signed by the Los Angeles Express of the United States Football League (USFL) for the 1984 season, joining his brother Tyrone who also played for the Express. [23] [24] He was released on January 21, 1984. [25]
After ending his playing career, Justin became a coach. [26] He began as an assistant to Harold Daniels at Harbor Junior College, before becoming a coach at Westchester High School in Los Angeles. [26] He subsequently served two years as defensive coordinator at Granada Hills High School before accepting a position as defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach for the semi-professional Ventura Cardinals. [26] The Cardinals folded after one season, and Justin then went to Taft High School as defensive backs coach, helping them reach the city championship. [26]
In 2012, Justin became one of many former players to file lawsuits against the NFL for concussion-related injuries. [27]
