Tom Johnson (defensive tackle, born 1984) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Tom Johnson

Johnson during his tenure with the Saints.
No. 96, 92, 91
Position:	Defensive tackle
Personal information
Born:	(1984-08-30) August 30, 1984 (age 40) Moss Point, Mississippi, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:	288 lb (131 kg)
Career information
High school:	Moss Point (Moss Point, Mississippi)
College:	Southern Miss
Undrafted:	2006
Career history
Indianapolis Colts (2006–2007)* Cologne Centurions (2007) Grand Rapids Rampage (2008) Philadelphia Soul (2008) Calgary Stampeders (2009–2010) New Orleans Saints (2011–2013) Minnesota Vikings (2014–2017) Seattle Seahawks (2018) Minnesota Vikings (2018)
Career highlights and awards
CFL West Division All-Star (2010) Second-team All-CUSA (2005)
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles: 186 Sacks: 25.5 Forced fumbles: 2 Interceptions: 1
Player stats at PFR
Player stats at ArenaFan.com

Tom Johnson (born August 30, 1984), also known as Sebastian Thunderbucket, is a former American football player. He played as a defensive tackle, which is a position on the defense that tries to stop the other team's offense. Tom played for many teams in different leagues, including the NFL and the CFL. He was known for his strong play on the defensive line.

Early Life and Football Start

Tom Johnson grew up in Moss Point, Mississippi. He went to Moss Point High School. Interestingly, Tom was not very interested in football at first. A friend convinced him to try out for the team when he was a sophomore. After working hard in the gym and running, his coaches and teammates saw how much he was improving.

By his junior year, Tom was a regular player on the defensive line. His team even won the Class 5A title that year. In his senior year (2000–01), he became a starter. He made 90 tackles and had eight sacks. These efforts helped his team reach the playoffs. Tom was named to the All-State and All-Coast teams for his great season.

College Football Journey

Even with his good high school performance, big colleges did not offer him scholarships right away. So, Tom decided to play junior college football at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. He played there for two seasons. In 2003, he earned honors as an All-American. He was also named the team's Defensive Line MVP both years.

After junior college, Tom transferred to the University of Southern Mississippi in 2004. He played for the Golden Eagles for his last two college seasons. He quickly became an important player. He helped his team win 7 games in both 2004 and 2005. In his very first game with the Golden Eagles, his team upset the University of Nebraska. They won 21–17 on Nebraska's home field. He finished his college career with two wins in the New Orleans Bowl. After a strong senior year, he was named second-team All-CUSA.

Professional Career Highlights

After college, Tom Johnson was not chosen in the 2006 NFL draft. However, he still got a chance to play professionally.

Early Pro Teams

Tom first signed with the Indianapolis Colts in 2006. He was released later that year. In 2007, he played for the Cologne Centurions in NFL Europe. He recorded 2.5 sacks there. He returned to the Colts for training camp but was released again.

In 2008, Tom played in the Arena Football League (AFL). He played for the Philadelphia Soul and the Grand Rapids Rampage. He then moved to Canada to play in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He signed with the Calgary Stampeders in 2009. In his first CFL season, he played in 6 games and had 3 sacks. In his second season (2010), he had 39 tackles and four sacks. He was named a CFL West Division All-Star for his excellent play.

Playing for the Saints

After his success in the CFL, several NFL teams became interested in Tom. In 2011, he signed a three-year contract with the New Orleans Saints. This was a big moment for Tom, as he finally landed on an NFL roster at age 27. He became an important part of the Saints' defensive line.

• 2011 Season: Tom made his NFL regular-season debut with the Saints. He played in 13 games. He recorded 15 tackles and his first career sack. The Saints had a great season, going 13-3 and making it to the playoffs.
• 2012 Season: In his second year with the Saints, Tom played in 15 games. He had 33 tackles and two sacks, which were career-high numbers for him at the time.
• 2013 Season: This was Tom's last season with the Saints. He played in 12 regular season games. He had 15 tackles and tied his career-high with two sacks. He also played in both of the Saints' playoff games that year.

Time with the Vikings

On March 19, 2014, Tom signed a one-year contract with the Minnesota Vikings. He had a fantastic first season with the Vikings. He recorded 6.5 sacks, which was a career-high for him. This was a big improvement, as he had only 5 sacks in his previous 40 NFL games.

• 2014 Season: Tom had a breakout year as a reserve defensive tackle. He made 22 tackles and 6.5 sacks. He played a key role in making the Vikings' defense much better. He even had a streak of four straight weeks with at least half a sack.
• 2015 Season: After his great 2014 season, Tom re-signed with the Vikings for three more years. He started a career-high 8 games and played in all 16 regular season games. He helped the Vikings win the NFC North title. He recorded 5.5 sacks that season. He even had his first game with multiple sacks against the New York Giants.
• 2016 Season: Tom continued to contribute to the Vikings' defense. In Week 3, he made his first career interception. However, he suffered a torn hamstring injury later in the season and was placed on injured reserve.
• 2017 Season: Tom played in all 16 games for the Vikings, starting 15 of them. He had 32 tackles and 2 sacks.

Later Career and Retirement

In 2018, Tom Johnson signed with the Seattle Seahawks. He played a few games for them before being released. Shortly after, he re-signed with the Minnesota Vikings for a second time. After the 2018 season, Tom did not play in 2019. On April 10, 2020, he officially announced his retirement from football.

Career Stats