Johnson first played college football for Modesto Pirates in 2017.[1] He played in 11 games where he had 58 total tackles, 6.5 sacks, and one forced fumbles.[1] He then transferred to the University of Colorado Boulder in 2018 where he played for the Buffaloes.[2] Following the 2020 season, Johnson declared for the 2021 NFL draft, despite having one year of college eligibility remaining.[3] After going undrafted, he was granted an exception to return for his senior year in 2021.[4]
Professional career
On July 31, 2022, it was announced that Johnson had signed a practice roster agreement with the Montreal Alouettes.[5] He later played and started in his first professional game on September 9, 2022, against the BC Lions where he had two defensive tackles and two sacks.[4][6] He played in eight regular season games where he had 18 defensive tackles and two sacks.[6]
In 2023, Johnson played in all 18 regular season games where he had 43 defensive tackles and seven sacks.[6] He also had one fumble recovery on October 14, 2023, against the Edmonton Elks, that he returned for his first career touchdown.[7] At the end of the year, he was named an East Division All-Star for the first time in his career.[8]