Tank Johnson facts for kids
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Johnson with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2010
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| Position: | Defensive tackle | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | December 7, 1981 Gary, Indiana, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 315 lb (143 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Tempe (AZ) McClintock | ||||||||
| College: | Washington | ||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2004 / Round: 2 / Pick: 47 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||
Terry "Tank" Johnson (born December 7, 1981) is a former American football player. He played as a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). Johnson played for the Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, and Cincinnati Bengals. The Bears chose him in the second round of the 2004 NFL draft. He played college football at the University of Washington.
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Growing Up and High School Sports
Johnson was born in Gary, Indiana. When he was six years old, his father moved him to Arizona. He went to McClintock High School in Tempe, Arizona. He was a good student there.
High School Football Achievements
As a senior in high school, Johnson had 21 catches and 211 yards in football. He also scored 4 touchdowns. On defense, he made 47 tackles and 3 sacks. He was named All-city and All-region twice.
Other High School Sports
Johnson was also a talented athlete in other sports. In basketball, he earned Pepperdine Prep All-American honors. He also played volleyball, where he received All-state, All-region, and All-city awards.
College Football Career
Johnson received a football scholarship to the University of Washington. He was first recruited to play tight end. However, he was suspended as a freshman.
Switching to Defensive Tackle
As a sophomore, Johnson changed his position to defensive tackle. He played in 10 games as a backup player. He made 4 tackles that season.
Junior Year Success
In his junior year, Johnson became a starter. He started 11 out of 13 games at defensive tackle. He made 25 tackles and 5 sacks. He also had one interception, which he returned for a touchdown. His defense was one of the best in the nation.
Senior Year Highlights
As a senior, Johnson started 12 games. He played both defensive tackle and defensive end. He led his team with 10 sacks and 18.5 tackles for loss. He also forced one fumble and recovered another for a touchdown.
Johnson finished his college career with 23 starts in 35 games. He had 64 tackles and 15 sacks.
Professional Football Journey
Tank Johnson was a strong player coming out of college. He showed great athletic ability.
Joining the Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears picked Johnson in the second round of the 2004 NFL draft. He was the 47th player chosen overall. In his first year (2004), he played in all 16 games. He made 26 tackles.
Key Seasons with the Bears
In 2005, Johnson played in all 16 games again. He started 4 games and made 37 tackles. He also had 5 sacks, which was fourth-best on the team. He helped the Bears have one of the best defenses in the league.
In 2006, Johnson started 10 games. He helped the Bears reach Super Bowl XLI. He made 38 tackles and 3.5 sacks that season.
Johnson faced some challenges off the field during his time with the Bears. These issues led to him being suspended by the NFL. The Bears later decided to release him in June 2007.
Time with the Dallas Cowboys
On September 18, 2007, the Dallas Cowboys signed Johnson. They needed help on their defensive line. He missed the first eight games due to a league suspension. He returned to play in November.
Johnson played nose tackle for the Cowboys. He finished the 2007 season with 10 tackles and two sacks. In 2008, he played through an ankle injury. He made 45 tackles and one sack. The Cowboys did not re-sign him after this season.
Playing for the Cincinnati Bengals
On April 7, 2009, Johnson signed with the Cincinnati Bengals. He played his natural position of defensive tackle. He started 13 games and made 29 tackles with two sacks.
In 2010, the Bengals signed Johnson to a new contract. He started the first seven games of the season. However, he suffered a right knee injury on October 31. This injury ended his season. He was placed on the injured reserve list.
On August 16, 2011, the Bengals ended his contract.
Life After Football
After retiring from professional football, Tank Johnson went back to college. He attended Mesa Community College in Arizona. He worked to complete his degree in sociology from the University of Washington.
Johnson also created a program called 'Moving the Chains'. This program helps people who have faced challenges in their lives. It teaches them to learn from their mistakes and avoid negative influences. Johnson has said that he got into trouble because he was in "too many uncontrolled environments."
See also
- Washington Huskies football statistical leaders
