(David Moll Photo)
The road to professional football has been anything but normal for Micah Johnson.
The former Fort Campbell Mr. Football and All-SEC linebacker at Kentucky has overcome personal struggles from constantly moving around as a kid to the disappointment of not sticking in the NFL to overcoming two serious knee injuries while playing in Canada.
However, as millions take this week to show thanks for their personal bounties, Johnson is thankful to be healthy and playing for the championship of the Canadian Football League Sunday when his Calgary Stampeders play Toronto in the 105th Grey Cup Game.
Johnson says his road to Canada was a bumpy one, which included two ACL surgeries on the same knee that caused him to lose nearly two seasons of football.
Johnson is in his fifth season of playing pro football north of the border and was recently voted to the CFL’s West Division All-Star Team – his second selection. He started in all 18 games for Calgary, recording 34 tackles and a career-high nine quarterback sacks, which was the most of any defensive tackle in the CFL.
He says the CFL accolades are a nice payoff for the hard work it took to get him back playing on the gridiron.
While the Canadian football game looks similar to the American game on the surface, there are several subtle differences. The field is 30 yards longer, 12 yards wider, and the end zones 10 yards longer than American football fields. Teams also have only three downs to advance 10 yards meaning offenses throw the football more.
When Johnson made the switch to the CFL in 2013, he said there several things that took some time to adjust to, including learning a new position.
Johnson made the move to Canada after he was on the NFL roster of four teams – the Giants, Dolphins, Chiefs, and Bengals – from 2010-13 and played in a total of 17 games. For the 29-year-old Johnson, it doesn’t matter to him whether he is playing in the NFL or CFL. He just wants to play at a high level for as long as he can.
Johnson was born into a military family in Georgia and played his first two high schools seasons in Alexandria, Virginia before his family was stationed at Fort Campbell in 2004. In two seasons with the Falcons, Johnson was a two-way star, rushing for over 2,500 yards and 46 touchdowns while averaging 145 tackles each season. He was named Kentucky Mr. Football in 2005, becoming the first Fort Campbell player to earn the honor.
Johnson says the constant moving that comes with being raised in a military family helped him with the unexpected shifting from city to city during his pro football career.
Johnson played college football at Kentucky where he was named to the All-SEC Freshman Team, scored a rushing touchdown in the 2006 Music City Bowl, and earned first-team All-SEC honors on defense. Despite his long distance away from Kentucky, Johnson still remains in touch with people from his high school and college days.
Calgary will be making their third Grey Cup appearance since Johnson joined the team in 2013. The Stampeders won the 2014 title, but Johnson missed the final 12 games due to his first ACL injury.
Last year, Johnson started and had two tackles in a tough 39-33 overtime loss to Ottawa. This year, Calgary plays a Toronto team they have already beaten twice during the regular season. Sunday’s Grey Cup will be broadcast on ESPN2.
For Johnson, he is thankful to be playing on a big stage and hopeful that his team can win a championship with him on the field Sunday.
