37-Year-Old Former Wildcat Micah Johnson Wins Third Grey Cup

Micah Johnson helped Rich Brooks break through as a part of an exceptional Kentucky defense back in 2007. Nearly 20 years later, he’s still roughing up opponents on the gridiron.

On Sunday, Johnson hoisted the Grey Cup for the third time. The Saskatchewan Roughriders scored 24 unanswered points, then held on for a 25-17 victory over the Montreal Alouettes. It was the first-ever loss as a starter for Alouettes quarterback Davis Alexander, who had three turnovers in the Grey Cup.

“I thought he ran around pretty good,” Roughriders defensive lineman Micah Johnson said. “I thought we did a good job of taking stuff away from him. In my opinion, he was running around decently … he was healthy.”

The 37-year-old had two tackles in the CFL’s championship game. He previously won a pair of Grey Cups with the Calgary Stampeders.

What’s crazy? Johnson is aging like a fine wine, getting better with time. This year, he earned his fifth All-CFL selection. He’s the only defensive lineman to make the All-CFL team as a 37-year-old. He also did it last year at 36.

“Year after year, it’s just my competitive juices,” he said. “I just want to be the best at my position, and I think it just drives me. It makes offseasons easier. It makes working out easier. My body still feels good. I know I say year after year that I feel better, but I’m not lying.”

Only 22 players in the history of the league have earned All-CFL honors after turning 37. Johnson is one of just five defensive tackles in CFL history with at least five all-league selections. He’s logged 184 tackles, 45 sacks, and 2 interceptions in the Canadian Football League since 2013.

Johnson’s Kentucky Career

Johnson was Kentucky Mr. Football in 2005. A five-star All-American honoree from Ft. Campbell, his size and athleticism overwhelmed opponents. He played as a true freshman and blossomed into an integral part of the Kentucky defense during the unforgettable 2007 season. That fall, he had 58 tackles and two interceptions, including a Pick 6 against FAU.

Johnson earned First Team All-SEC Honors after tallying 13 TFLs and 2.5 sacks in 2008. During his senior season, Johnson had 105 tackles at middle linebacker, while his brother, Christian Johnson, started on the Kentucky offensive line.

A Testament to Persevearance

Despite his stats and accolades, Johnson was undrafted in 2010. After bouncing around practice squads for four seasons, he signed to play in the CFL. That’s when more adversity hit. He suffered season-ending ACL injuries in his left knee during each of his first two years in Canada. Instead of giving up, he switched positions from linebacker to defensive tackle and became one of the best to ever do it in the CFL.  

“I’d just got cut by the Green Bay Packers at that time. It was the last NFL cut. It kind of took my heart out because I thought I did a very good job,” he said recently.

“I was making my way to Canada and I remember talking to my dad about this, that and the other. He was like, ‘You can’t think about it anymore. The CFL has a Hall of Fame, too.’ That stuck with me. From then on, I didn’t necessarily make it my goal, but my dad made a really good point.”

Even though life handed him a few bad hands, he never gave up. Now, Johnson is well on his way to the CFL Hall of Fame.