“I think we can be special”: Micah Johnson delighted to remain a Rider

The Saskatchewan Roughriders’ Micah Johnson — an All-CFL selection last year — is proud to debunk an age-old mindset.

“This disproves the narrative for athletes,” states the veteran defensive tackle, still at the top of his game at 36.

“As time goes on we can’t continue to hold it to that same standard of the ’80s and ’90s, where you hit 30 years and your level of play falls off.

“There’s too much evidence of too many guys in leagues all around the world who are 35, 36, 37 and at the top of their game.

“Obviously, everybody can’t do it, but you always have some guys who can hit that pocket and still do it at a high level. I kind of think I’m one of those guys who has fallen in that pocket.”

Rival quarterbacks continue to fall in the pocket due to the efforts of Johnson, who sees the maintenance of his pass-rushing push as part of a much wider trend.

“I’m talking about from NBA to MMA,” he continues. “You’ve got guys 39 and 40 competing at a championship level.

“I know a lot of people look at it from the outside and say, ‘Wow, he’s still doing it at 36,’ but I don’t even look at it like it’s that crazy anymore. I’ve seen too many athletes do it and I have too many examples of athletes who have done it at a high level.

“It’s easy to keep doing it in that case, because it’s a lot of motivation and there’s a lot of people I see doing it.”

Johnson wasn’t sure what to see in his future nearly a decade ago, after spending this first three seasons of Canadian football with the Calgary Stampeders.

“I went through so much at the beginning of my CFL career, with my first two or three years being washed with injuries,” he recalls.

“I always believed in my talent. I just felt there were some unfortunate things that happened throughout my life, dating all the way back to high school.

“When I got to college, I was one of the best players in the country. For whatever reason, it didn’t formulate for me in the NFL, but what I’m saying is that I asked God when I had some injuries early and tore my ACL for the second time, ‘Can you bless me on the back end?’

“I remember having conversations with Him. I said, ‘God, I’m going to push through this. Just show me some love on the back end of my career.’

“It’s kind of crazy, because it happened like that. Two years straight now, I haven’t missed a game. It’s almost like the older I got, the more durable I became.”

Johnson emerged as a force in 2016, earning All-CFL honours for the first of three years in succession.

He was recognized in that fashion the fourth time while helping the 2024 Roughriders rebound from back-to-back 6-12-0 seasons by going 9-8-1, finishing in second place, earning a home playoff game, and advancing to the Western Final.

“It’s awesome, just knowing what we’re building and what we’ve got going on and the kind of staff we have in place, all the way to the top in the front office,” says Johnson, who re-signed with the Green and White on Feb. 7 — nearly a week after the free-agency communication window opened.

“We’re building and, for me, it’s big because I’ve always seen the potential of this place. I’ve always wanted to give Sask and these fans some good football. I’ve been a part of the ups and downs since 2019.

“Believing that we can win a championship with this group right here, I think that was a big deal for me, and that was the real deal for me. I just wanted to be a part of that. With the guys we’ve got in the building, I think we can be special.”

Johnson sees a parallel between the current Roughriders and the Stampeders powerhouses on which he played early in his career.

“One of the biggest things is the talent level,” he says. “When we were on those rolls in Calgary, we were the deepest team in the league for a few years.

“That was shown throughout those years by the guys we had on the practice squad. They went on to be all-star players and they couldn’t even crack the lineup. That’s just a testament to how deep we were in those times.

“That’s the first thing that popped up (while assessing the current Roughriders), seeing the talent level and the depth that we have. One of the things that definitely jumped off the page was continuity. We’ve got a good group.

“Back then (in Calgary), the guys loved each other, and that’s kind of the feeling that was coming about last year. The fact that a lot of the guys are back, that’s huge as far as the continuity. When the guys have a love for each other, you play hard for the guy beside you.”

The fit is also perfect for Johnson’s loved ones — his wife (Saqouya) and four children (J.C., Micah Jr., Jaxson and Kaleia).

The Johnsons, year-round residents of Regina, are experiencing the latter stages of their second Saskatchewan winter.

“The biggest thing for me was my family,” Johnson says. “When I made that commitment to bring my family up (from Florida), it kind of changed things for me.

“The way everyone here treats my family is really amazing. My kids love the school they’re at. My son’s playing sports. It’s just a good thing and I didn’t want to break that up unless I had to.”

And there wasn’t any need.

“For me,” Johnson concludes, “it was about wanting to be here.”