Johnson attended Centennial High School, before moving on to Los Angeles State College.
[citation needed] He transferred to UCLA after his sophomore season, becoming a two-year starter at left tackle.
[1][2] Johnson was selected in the seventeenth round (229th overall) of the 1965 NFL draft by the Dallas Cowboys and became the first African-American offensive lineman to make the team in franchise history.
On August 30, 1966, he was traded along with Brig Owens and Jake Kupp, to the Washington Redskins in exchange for Jim Steffen and a fifth round draft choice (#119-Willie Parker).
[7] On June, 23, 1974, he signed a contract with the Florida Blazers and played one season in the World Football League.