He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs, earning consensus All-American honors in 1975.
[3] He won the unlimited weight division in the Northwest Georgia High School wrestling tournament in 1970 and 1971.
[3] Johnson participated in the State Track and Field competition in discus and shot put in 1971.
[1][5] Johnson was named to the Gridiron News All-SEC team and played in the Peach Bowl in 1973.
[2] He was named to the Pre-Season All-American Team, played in the Tangerine Bowl and earned UPI All-SEC honors in 1974.
[2] He was awarded the Jacobs Blocking Trophy for being the best blocker in the SEC, the William K. Jenkins Award as Georgia's best lineman and the Whitworth Memorial Trophy by the Muscogee County Bulldog Club for being Georgia's outstanding lineman in 1975.
[12] Johnson spent time as an assistant football coach at Coosa High School in Rome, Georgia.