He was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the third round (77th overall) of the 2015 NFL draft after playing college football at the University of Miami.

He played in the NFL for the Browns, Houston Texans, Miami Dolphins, and Buffalo Bills.

After beating the Sammy Watkins-led South Fort Myers 44–28 in the semifinals,[2] Norland lost 44–34 to the unbeaten Tampa Jefferson in the class 3A final.

[3] During his senior year, Johnson compiled 1,957 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns, 14 receptions for 232 receiving yards and three touchdowns, three kickoff returns and one punt return for scores, as he led Miami Norland to 15–0 finish and state Class 5A championship.

In 2013, Johnson joined the Miami indoor track team, posting a personal-best time of 6.92 seconds in the 60 meters at New Mexico Classic.

Johnson's sophomore campaign with the Hurricane's football team came to an abrupt end on November 2, 2013, when he broke his ankle against arch-rival Florida State.

[20] On December 28, 2014, Johnson announced his decision to forgo his remaining eligibility and enter the 2015 NFL draft.

On April 1, 2015, Johnson participated at Miami's pro day and chose to perform the majority of combine drills, but elected to skip the broad jump.

Scouts and team representatives from all 32 NFL teams attended Miami's pro day, including head coaches Mike Tomlin Pittsburgh Steelers, Todd Bowles New York Jets, and Sean Payton New Orleans Saints.

[23] At the conclusion of the pre-draft process, Johnson was projected to be a second round pick by NFL draft experts and scouts.

[34] He was sidelined for the next ten days, and was inactive during the first preseason game against the Washington Redskins at FirstEnergy Stadium.

[36] Throughout training camp, Johnson competed to be one of the primary running backs in the Browns' rotation against Isaiah Crowell, Terrance West, and Shaun Draughn.

[37] Head coach Mike Pettine named Johnson the backup running back, behind Isaiah Crowell, to begin the regular season.

[40] Johnson scored his first career touchdown on a 34-yard pass by quarterback Josh McCown in the second quarter.

[46] During training camp, Johnson competed to be the starting running back against Isaiah Crowell.

Head coach Hue Jackson officially named Johnson the backup running back, behind Isaiah Crowell, to start the regular season in 2016.

[51] In Week 15, against the Baltimore Ravens, he became the first NFL running back since Herschel Walker in 1986–1988 to record at least 500 receiving yards in each of his first three seasons.

[69] On December 19, 2021, in his first home game with the Dolphins, Johnson rushed for a career high 107 yards and two touchdowns in a 31–24 win against the Jets.