He has also spent time with the Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals, Green Bay Packers, Calgary Stampeders, BC Lions, and Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

While playing linebacker and running back for Fort Campbell High School, Johnson was selected as the 2005 Kentucky Mr.

Johnson played his freshman and sophomore years at West Potomac High School in Alexandria, Virginia, where he also starred in basketball.

[2] Rated the nation's top inside linebacker by ESPN,[3][4] he was also selected as a high school All-American by Parade, EA Sports, PrepStar and SuperPrep.

In the Wildcats' 2006 Music City Bowl victory against Clemson University, Johnson entered the game as a running back and scored a touchdown.

Johnson earned first-team All-SEC honors,[6] and he considered early entry into the 2009 NFL draft.

Subsequent years saw Johnson working his way into a starting role, while returning to the championship game for the 2016 and 2017 seasons, where Calgary suffered a pair of heartbreaking losses to Ottawa and Toronto.

On February 12, 2019, Johnson signed a one-year contract with the Saskatchewan Roughriders for $250,000 CAD, making him one of the highest paid defensive players in the CFL.

Upon entering free agency, Johnson signed a one-year contract with the BC Lions on February 11, 2020.