Ezra Johnson

Who is Ezra Johnson?

Ezra Ray Johnson is a retired American football defensive end who played for the Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis Colts and Houston Oilers in a fifteen-year career that lasted from 1977 to 1991 in the National Football League.

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. He earned a Pro Bowl berth in 1978 after leading the league in sacks with 20.5. However by 1981, Johnson 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 in 1988 and bounced around with several teams before retiring. Despite his tendentious relationship with the team at times, Johnson was elected to the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 1997.