Ezra Johnson

American football player (born 1955)

Ezra Ray Johnson (born October 2, 1955) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end for 15 seasons with the Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis Colts and Houston Oilers in the National Football League (NFL) from 1977 to 1991. A first round pick from Morris Brown College by the Green Bay Packers in 1977, Johnson was known as one of the best defensive linemen in his first few years in the league. Johnson earned a spot in the 1979 Pro Bowl after unofficially finishing second, to Detroit Lions Al "Bubba" Baker, with 20.5 sacks in 1978. (Quarterback sacks were not an official NFL statistic until 1982.) However, by 1981, Johnson's career was marred by a series of back injuries and allegations of his lack of discipline on the field, including one incident in which he ate a hot dog while sitting on the bench during a preseason game, and being inconsistent at times. He lost and regained his starting job multiple times during that period. Johnson was exclusively used as the third down pass rush specialist after 1986, and took a leadership role with the team. He was released by the Packers in 1988 and played with two seasons with the Colts, and one with the Oilers before retiring in 1991. Despite his adverse relationship with the team at times, Johnson was elected to the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 1997.

Johnson played college football at Morris Brown College in Atlanta. In his last year at Morris Brown he had 112 tackles and 28 sacks. However his size and the small school he played for helped lower his draft stock.

Johnson was drafted as the 28th pick of the first round in the 1977 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers. Johnson was considered a "gamble pick" for the Packers because of lack of major college experience and his relatively small size for a defensive end. He thrived on the Packers 4–3 defense, and recorded 14 sacks by the eighth game of the season. However, the Packers offense were among the worst in the league, and the team lost a chance for a playoff berth in the final game of the season against the Los Angeles Rams. Johnson was rewarded for his efforts by being selected to play in the Pro Bowl and was rewarded with the Packers Defensive Player of the Year award. In 1979, Johnson missed seven games early in the season because of a sprained left ankle. On his return against the Minnesota Vikings on November 11, he sacked quarterback Tommy Kramer four times in a 19–7 win. During that period, Johnson teamed up with fellow first round pick Mike Butler to form one of the league's most potent defensive lineups. Nicknamed the "Gang Green", they became known for their ability to pressure the quarterback to force a sack. He started in all 15 games that season, as the Packers finished with a 5–10–1 record. It was a decision which confused the local media as Johnson had been the starter since 1978. Merrill, who was released by the Cincinnati Bengals and claimed off waivers by the Packers, was considered by the team as the better, more consistent interior lineman against the run. Johnson stated that "eating his mother's cooking" and being "healthy" were the main reasons for his improvement. He had an official career best of 14.5 quarterback sacks in 1983 along with 107 tackles, a team record by a defensive lineman in a single season. The success didn't last long, as Johnson started to get hampered with back injuries, which reduced his effectiveness. In 1984, Johnson had surgery for a herniated disk, an injury he suffered during training camp, and was known as a potential career ending injury. He missed the first game of the regular season against the St. Louis Cardinals and could not fully recover from the injury. Again he lost his starting job, becoming a third down pass rushing specialist, and was credited with seven sacks for the year; the injury forced Johnson to mull retirement. He was released by the Packers on January 8, 1988. At the time of his release, Johnson was the Packers' all time leader in sacks with 84.

Johnson signed with the Indianapolis Colts in 1988 in order to provide experience to a young and inexperienced Colts squad. During his time with the Colts, Johnson was used as a part time starter in a role similar to his final few years with the Packers. He was elected to the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 1997. He currently lives in the Atlanta area and has four children.