Tom Johnson (defensive tackle, born 1984) facts for kids
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Johnson during his tenure with the Saints.
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| Position: | Defensive tackle | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | August 30, 1984 Moss Point, Mississippi, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 288 lb (131 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Moss Point (Moss Point, Mississippi) |
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| College: | Southern Miss | ||||||||
| Undrafted: | 2006 | ||||||||
| 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 | |||||||||
| Player stats at ArenaFan.com | |||||||||
Tom Johnson (born August 30, 1984), also known by his nickname Sebastian Thunderbucket, is a former American football player. He played as a defensive tackle, which is a position on the defensive line in football. Tom went to Moss Point High School and later played college football at Southern Miss. Before that, he played for two seasons at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.
After college, Tom Johnson was not chosen in the 2006 NFL draft. However, he was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as a free agent. He also played in other leagues like the NFL Europe with the Cologne Centurions and the Arena Football League (AFL) with the Grand Rapids Rampage and Philadelphia Soul. Later, he played in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the Calgary Stampeders, where he was named a CFL West Division All-Star in 2010.
Tom then joined the New Orleans Saints in 2011 and played there until 2013. In 2014, he moved to the Minnesota Vikings, where he played for several seasons. He even had a second time playing for the Vikings in 2018. Tom Johnson announced his retirement from football on April 10, 2020.
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Early Football Days
Tom Johnson played high school football at Moss Point High School in Moss Point, Mississippi. He wasn't very interested in football at first. A friend convinced him to try out when he was a sophomore. After working out and running track, his coaches and teammates noticed how much stronger he was getting.
By the end of his junior year, his team won the Class 5A title. Tom became a regular player on the defensive line. In his senior year (2000–01), he earned a starting spot. He made 90 tackles and had eight sacks. His team made it to the playoffs but lost the championship game. Because of his great performance, he was named to the All-State team. He was also invited to play in a special All-Star Game.
Even though Tom had good stats, big universities didn't offer him scholarships. So, he decided to play at Gulf Coast Community College.
College Football Career
At Gulf Coast Community College, Tom Johnson was recognized as an outstanding player. He earned second-Team NJCAA All-America honors in 2003. He was also named the team's Defensive Line MVP for both seasons he played there.
After junior college, Tom planned to go to West Virginia. However, because his mother was recovering from surgery, he chose to stay closer to home. He decided to sign with Southern Miss instead. In 2004, Tom officially joined the University of Southern Mississippi. He played for the Golden Eagles for his last two college seasons. He started in 12 games during this time.
Tom quickly fit in with his new team. He helped the Golden Eagles have two good seasons in 2004 and 2005, both ending with a 7–5 record. In his very first game with the Golden Eagles, his team surprised everyone by beating the University of Nebraska. They won 21–17 on Nebraska's home field. He finished both seasons with wins in the New Orleans Bowl. After a strong senior year, where he made 54 total tackles, he was named second-team All-CUSA.
Professional Football Journey
Starting with the Colts
After the 2006 NFL draft, Tom Johnson was not drafted by any NFL team. But on May 1, 2006, the Indianapolis Colts signed him. He was released before the regular season started. Tom didn't play football for the rest of 2006.
In January 2007, the Colts signed him again. They sent him to play for the Cologne Centurions in NFL Europe. He had 2.5 sacks during the 2007 season there. After that season, he returned to the Colts for training camp. However, he was released again before the 2007 NFL season began.
Playing in the Arena League
In 2008, Tom Johnson played in the Arena Football League (AFL). He played for both the Philadelphia Soul and the Grand Rapids Rampage. He played in four games for the Soul, making 3 tackles and recovering 2 fumbles. He then played the last six games of the 2008 season with the Rampage, where he had 2 tackles and a sack.
Time in Canada
On February 19, 2009, Tom signed with the Calgary Stampeders in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He had high hopes for his first season but faced some injuries. He also missed the first game to attend his grandfather's funeral. In his first CFL season, Tom played in 6 games and had 3 sacks and 13 tackles. He helped his team reach the West Division Final.
In his second season with the Stampeders, Tom was a key part of the defense. He made 39 total tackles and four sacks. His strong play helped Calgary achieve a great 13–5 record. He was recognized for his excellent work by being named an West Division All-Star in 2010.
Joining the New Orleans Saints
After the 2010 CFL season, several NFL teams were interested in Tom Johnson. On January 20, 2011, he signed a three-year contract with the New Orleans Saints. At 27 years old, five seasons after his first try in the NFL, Tom finally secured a spot on an NFL roster.
Tom said he chose the Saints because he liked their aggressive defensive style. He had shown great determination by playing in different football leagues to reach his NFL dream. During his time with the Saints, Tom became an important player on their defensive line. He played in 40 games over three seasons. He recorded 55 tackles, five sacks, and one forced fumble.
2011 Season Highlights
Tom made his official NFL regular-season debut in 2011. The Saints had a great year, winning 13 games and making it to the NFC Divisional Playoffs. After recovering from a calf injury, Tom played in 13 games. He made 15 tackles, one sack, and forced one fumble. In December, he got his first career sack against the Minnesota Vikings. In the playoffs, he played in both games for the Saints. They won against the Detroit Lions but lost to the San Francisco 49ers.
2012 Season Highlights
In his second season with the Saints, Tom played in 15 games as a backup defensive tackle. He finished with 33 tackles and two sacks, which were career highs for him at the time. He got his first sack of the season against the Oakland Raiders in November. In a game against the Dallas Cowboys, he sacked their quarterback, forcing them to punt. He had a season-high 4 tackles in the last game against the Carolina Panthers.
2013 Season Highlights
In his last season with the Saints in 2013, Tom played in 12 regular season games. He missed some games due to a hamstring injury. He also played in both playoff games, contributing significantly to the team's defense. He had 15 tackles and tied his career high with two sacks. In December, he again tied his career high with four tackles against the Seattle Seahawks.
Playing for the Minnesota Vikings
On March 19, 2014, Tom Johnson signed a one-year contract with the Minnesota Vikings. Other teams like Chicago, Dallas, Miami, and Seattle were also interested in him. Tom had a surprisingly good year with the Vikings, recording 6.5 sacks. This was a big improvement from his previous seasons. After this great performance, he re-signed with the Vikings in 2015 for a three-year deal. He played in his fifth career playoff game when the Vikings hosted the Seattle Seahawks in January 2016.
2014 Season Highlights
Tom had a fantastic first season as a backup defensive tackle for the Vikings in 2014. He made 22 total tackles, a career-high 6.5 sacks, and forced a fumble. He played a very important role in improving the Vikings' defense under their new Head Coach Mike Zimmer. In the first game of the season, he made a strip-sack and 2 tackles. He started his first game as a Viking against his old team, the New Orleans Saints, in September. He then had a streak of four straight weeks with at least half a sack in each game. In November, he made a career-high 5 tackles against the Carolina Panthers.
2015 Season Highlights
On March 8, 2015, Tom Johnson re-signed with the Vikings for a three-year contract. This new deal came after his best season yet. Tom went on to start a career-high 8 games and played in all 16 regular season games. He also played in the Wild Card Playoff game. He helped the Vikings win the NFC North title for the first time since 2009. He recorded 5.5 sacks during the season. He had his first game with more than one sack against the New York Giants in December, sacking their quarterback twice. He also broke his previous career-high for tackles, making 7 tackles against the St. Louis Rams.
2016 Season Highlights
In Week 1 of the 2016 season, Tom didn't record any tackles. However, in Week 2, he contributed to one of the five sacks the Vikings' defense had on Aaron Rodgers during their win over the Green Bay Packers. In Week 3, Tom made the first interception of his career. Sadly, he suffered a torn hamstring injury in Week 15 and was placed on injured reserve on December 20, 2016.
Seattle Seahawks
On March 23, 2018, Tom Johnson signed with the Seattle Seahawks. He was released by the team on September 15, 2018.
Return to the Minnesota Vikings
Just a few days later, on September 19, 2018, Tom Johnson re-signed with the Minnesota Vikings for a second time.
After not playing during the 2019 season, Tom Johnson officially announced his retirement from professional football on April 10, 2020.
Career Statistics
Tom Johnson had a long and successful career in professional football. Here are some of his overall statistics from his time in the NFL:
- Total tackles: 186
- Sacks: 25.5
- Forced fumbles: 2
- Interceptions: 1
