Don Johnson (American Football) life and biography

Despite constant roster shuffling due to injuries, Don Johnson did an outstanding job with the Chargers’ defensive line in 2009. Luis Castillo and Jacques Cesaire became leaders of the unit, while first-year player Ogemdi Nwagbuo became a pleasant surprise. The line also got solid play from newcomers Alfonso Boone and Travis Johnson.

Johnson spent the 2005 and ’06 seasons working alongside Ron Rivera in Chicago. In 2006, Chicago won an NFC title and played in Super Bowl XLI. Defensive tackle Tommie Harris was selected to the Pro Bowl in both of Johnson’s seasons with the Bears.

A former college coach and participant in the NFL’s Minority Internship Coaching Program with the San Francisco 49ers, Johnson coached at Riverside Community College when the Tigers played in four bowl games and won a junior college national championship in 1989.

A native of Newark, New Jersey, Johnson played linebacker at Butler Community College and Jersey City State in the mid-1970s. After college, he had a free agent tryout with the New York Jets and ended up playing for the USFL’s New Jersey Generals, owned by billionaire Donald Trump.

Aside from his coaching duties, Johnson spent 25 years as a high school and college basketball official, including eight years at the NCAA Division I level. He was also the president of the Orange County (Calif.) Basketball Officials Association for four years and the California Basketball Officials Association for two.

Johnson and his wife, Deborah, have two daughters, Denise and Leanna, and one son, Don, Jr. Another son, Duane, died in an automobile accident in 2002.

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