Landon Johnson

Landon Johnson

Johnson in 2008
No. 59, 54, 55
Position:	Linebacker
Personal information
Born:	(1981-03-12)March 12, 1981 Lubbock, Texas,U.S.
Height:	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:	232 lb (105 kg)
Career information
High school:	Coronado(Lubbock)
College:	Purdue
NFL draft:	2004/ round: 3 / pick: 96
Career history
Cincinnati Bengals(2004–2007) Carolina Panthers(2008–2009) Detroit Lions(2010)
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles: 482 Sacks: 3.5 Forced fumbles: 9 Fumble recoveries: 4 Interceptions: 1 Defensive touchdowns: 1 StatsatPro Football Reference

Landon Tremone Johnson(born March 13, 1981) is an American former professionalfootballplayer who was alinebackerin theNational Football League(NFL). He was selected by theCincinnati Bengalsin the third round of the2004 NFL draft.He playedcollege footballfor thePurdue Boilermakers.

Johnson also played for theCarolina PanthersandDetroit Lions.

Early life

Johnson attendedCoronado High SchoolinLubbock, Texasand was a three-time All-District pick, a three time All-City pick, a two time All-League pick, and as a senior, he was the District DefensiveM.V.P.Furthermore, he holds the school career record fortackles(401 ), and he was also an excellent student who graduated with a 4.0 grade point average.

College career

Johnson played collegiately atPurdue UniversityinWest Lafayette, Indiana.He played in 47 games during his career, starting 45 including 10 as a Defensive End. He recorded 345 tackles (222 individual) and 8½ sacks. He was named Honorable MentionAll-Big Ten Conferencein both 2002 and 2003, and was named Academic All-Big Ten team for all four years. He graduated in May 2003 with a degree in General Health Science.

Professional career

Cincinnati Bengals

After being drafted in the third round of the2004 NFL draft,Johnson contributed immediately with 11 starts at linebacker while playing in all 16 games. He ended the season as the team's leader with 133 tackles, 92 of which came in the last seven games (over 13 per game). He became the third Bengals rookie to earn the tackling title, joiningTakeo SpikesandJames Francis.He also had six pass deflections, two sacks, a forced fumble and fumble recovery, and nine special teams tackles. His pass break-ups total was tied for the team-high for linebackers. On November 21, against thePittsburgh Steelers,Johnson totaled 20 tackles, which was the most in the season for a player and the most for a player in theMarvin Lewis-era of coaching in Cincinnati.

In his sophomore season in the league, 2005, Johnson totaled 87 total tackles on the season while playing all games on the year. Against theBaltimore Ravens,Johnson recorded five tackles and forced a fumble on tight endTodd Heap,which led to a Bengals' touchdown to put the team up 14–3 in the second quarter. In a December victory over thePittsburgh Steelers,Johnson totaled 11 tackles and forced another fumble. In a December 24 contest with theBuffalo Bills,Johnson set a team-high for the season with 14 tackles.

In 2006, Johnson totaled 113 tackles on the year and also recorded his first career interception. He began the season with 8 tackles in the season opener against theKansas City Chiefs.The next game, he totaled five tackles and a fourth quarter interception against theCleveland Browns,which was his first career interception ever. The following game, Johnson totaled a team-high 12 tackles against thePittsburgh Steelers.He then had eight tackles in consecutive games:New EnglandandTampa Bay.He then led the team with 11 tackles against theBaltimore Ravens,followed by a team-high 8 tackles and a forced fumble onLorenzo Nealagainst theSan Diego Chargers.He then finished up against theNew Orleans Saintswith 14 tackles, a career-high. In the following shutout against the Browns, Johnson recorded five tackles and a sack that also resulted in a fumble. In the next game against the Ravens, Johnson recorded a team-high 13 tackles. In the December contest against theIndianapolis Colts,Johnson recorded 10 tackles, which was his fifth double-digit tackle game of the season. On the December 31 game against the Steelers, Johnson recorded six tackles and a pass deflection, and also forced aWillie Parkerfumble on the one yard-line to stop the Steelers' score in the fourth quarter.

The following season, 2007, Johnson won his third-team tackling title with his career-high 143 tackles. His tackle total was 32 tackles ahead of the closest player, linebackerDhani Jones.He finished the season leading the team in tackles in five games, while finishing second in another five games and was tied for the team lead with two fumble recoveries. He also had five pass deflections, fourth on the team. Johnson began the first eight games of the season at outside linebacker, but finished the second half of the season at middle linebacker due to other injuries on the team. Johnson began the season with 8 tackles against theBrownsand then 7 against theSeahawks.Then against theKansas City Chiefs,Johnson led the team with 10 tackles and also had a sack ofDamon Huard.He was then second with 10 tackles against theBuffalo Bills,then led the team with 11 tackles against theRavens.After missing most of theTennesseegame due to an injury, Johnson bounced back with consecutive 9-tackle games against theSteelersthen theSt. Louis Rams.He also had a third down stop for no gain on Rams' running backSteven Jackson.In the December victory over Cleveland, Johnson had a tackle on running backJamal Lewisfor no gain on a fourth down situation to add to his total of seven tackles. In the season finale against theMiami Dolphins,Johnson led the team with 11 tackles.

Johnson became an unrestrictedfree agentin the 2008 offseason.

Carolina Panthers

On March 7, 2008, Johnson signed a three-year contract with theCarolina Panthers.

He got injured in the 2008–2009 divisional game againstArizonaafter taking a big hit to the helmet from teammateJon Beason,after Beason missed a tackle on Cardinalsrunning backJ. J. Arrington.

Detroit Lions

Johnson signed with theDetroit Lionson March 19, 2010.

NFL statistics

Year	Team	GP	COMB	TOTAL	AST	SACK	FF	FR	FR YDS	INT	IR YDS	AVG IR	LNG	TD	PD
2004	CIN	16	87	60	27	2.0	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2
2005	CIN	16	86	60	26	0.0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2
2006	CIN	16	114	80	34	0.5	3	0	0	1	2	2	2	0	5
2007	CIN	16	109	71	38	1.0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	4
2008	CAR	15	16	14	2	0.0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2009	CAR	10	20	16	4	0.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2010	DET	12	48	40	8	0.0	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Career		101	480	341	139	3.5	11	4	0	1	2	2	2	0	13

External links

• Carolina Panthers bio
• Cincinnati Bengals bio