Pepper Johnson facts for kids
Johnson in 2007 as a coach for the New England Patriots
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| No. 52, 53, 99 | |||||||||
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| Position: | Linebacker | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | July 29, 1964 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 250 lb (113 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Mackenzie (Detroit, Michigan) | ||||||||
| College: | Ohio State (1982–1985) | ||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1986 / Round: 2 / Pick: 51 | ||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||
Thomas "Pepper" Johnson (born July 29, 1964) is a well-known American football coach and former player. He played as a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons. He spent his first seven seasons with the New York Giants. During his time with the Giants, he helped them win two Super Bowl championships. After leaving the Giants, he also played for the Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, and New York Jets.
After his playing days, Johnson became an assistant coach for the New England Patriots. There, he worked again with Bill Belichick, who had been his coach when he played for the Giants and Browns. Johnson coached for the Patriots for 14 seasons and won three more Super Bowls as a coach. Later, he coached for the Buffalo Bills and the New York Jets. He also coached in other leagues like the Alliance of American Football (AAF) and the XFL. In 2022, he coached for the Tampa Bay Bandits in the USFL.
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Playing Career Highlights
Pepper Johnson had a very successful career both in college and in the NFL. He was known for his strong defensive play.
College Football Journey
After graduating from Mackenzie High School in Detroit, Pepper Johnson played college football for the Ohio State University Buckeyes. He played under head coach Earle Bruce. Johnson earned a varsity letter every year from 1982 to 1985. He was the team's top tackler in both 1984 and 1985.
His teammates chose him as a co-captain and defensive MVP in 1984 and 1985. In 1985, he was named an All-American, which means he was one of the best college players in the country. Johnson finished his college career with an impressive 379 total tackles. He also had 5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss. In 2001, he was honored by being inducted into the Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame.
NFL Playing Days
The New York Giants picked Pepper Johnson in the second round of the 1986 NFL draft. With the Giants, he was a key player on two Super Bowl-winning teams: Super Bowl XXI and Super Bowl XXV. He played under head coach Bill Parcells and assistant coach Bill Belichick.
After seven seasons with the Giants, Johnson joined Belichick again. This time, Belichick was the head coach of the Cleveland Browns in the 1993. After the 1995 season, the Browns team moved to Baltimore. Johnson then played for the Detroit Lions for one season in 1996. For the last two seasons of his playing career, Johnson once again reunited with Belichick. Belichick was then the defensive coordinator for the New York Jets under Parcells.
Pepper Johnson retired from the NFL after the 1998 season. He finished his playing career with 25.5 sacks, 12 forced fumbles, and 14 interceptions. He also recorded 983 tackles, showing how much he contributed to his teams' defenses.
Coaching Career
After retiring as a player, Pepper Johnson started his coaching career. He became an assistant linebackers coach for the New England Patriots in 2000.
Coaching with the Patriots
Johnson served as the Patriots' inside linebackers coach from 2001 through 2003. He then became the defensive line coach in 2004. In 2012, he returned to coaching linebackers. During his time with the Patriots, he helped the team win three Super Bowls as a coach.
Pepper Johnson also co-wrote a book called Won For All with Bill Gutman. This book shared details about the Patriots' 2001 championship season.
Coaching After the Patriots
On January 21, 2014, Johnson announced he was leaving the Patriots. Just ten days later, on January 31, 2014, the Buffalo Bills announced he would be their new defensive line coach. After the Bills' head coach left, Johnson was hired as the defensive line coach for the New York Jets. He coached there until the end of the 2016 season.
In December 2018, Johnson was hired as the defensive line coach for the Memphis Express in the Alliance of American Football. He worked under head coach Mike Singletary. After that league stopped playing in 2019, he joined the Los Angeles Wildcats for the 2020 XFL season. He was their defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. In 2021, Johnson became the head coach of the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. Most recently, in 2022, he was the defensive coordinator and defensive line coach for the Tampa Bay Bandits in the USFL.
Personal Life
Pepper Johnson's unique nickname, "Pepper," came from his aunt. She noticed that he liked to put black pepper on his corn flakes when he was a child.
Pepper's son, Dionte Johnson (born June 28, 1986), also played football. He was a fullback for the Ohio State Buckeyes and later for the Arizona Cardinals. Dionte was chosen as a captain for the Ohio State team in 2007. This made Pepper and Dionte one of only a few father-son duos to both be captains for the Buckeyes. Pepper also has a daughter named Aanjeya Johnson, born in 2009, with his wife Shanna.
