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 leagueSouthern 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]
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]
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]
Justin liked music from a young age, and participated in several talent shows in high school.[28] After high school, he worked for a time with singer Candi Staton and performed for several movie soundtracks, including the songs "Shout" and "Shama Lama Ding Dong" in Animal House.[3][28] He auditioned for the vocal group The Miracles in 1978 and was given the job, but turned it down to continue his football career.[29] He also worked with Hawk Wolinski in producing the soundtrack for Wildcats.[26]
During his football career, Justin would sing and write songs during the offseason, and was able to do it full-time after his retirement from the sport.[3] He was part of the songwriting team Sylverspoon Productions, working with artists and groups including Leon Sylvers III, Glen Jones, Lakeside, The Whispers, Dynasty and Shalamar.[26][28] He went on to join Shalamar soon afterwards as their lead singer, replacing Howard Hewett in 1987.[26][30] Justin worked with Babyface and L.A. in producing the album Circumstantial Evidence, which featured the song "Love's Grown Deep" that placed number one on charts in Asia for five[a] months.[28]
