Don Johnson comes to Carolina in 2021 as the team's pass rush specialist with 39 years of coaching experience, including 12 seasons in the NFL.
He was most recently in Arizona for one season in 2018 as the team's senior assistant/defensive line coach.
He spent seven seasons in San Diego (2009-15) as the defensive line coach. He coached defensive tackle Corey Liuget who ranked in the top 10 among defensive tackles in sacks (10.0), tackles (99) and tackles for loss (20) in 2013-14. In 2010, the Chargers led the NFL in total defense (271.5) while ranking second in sacks (47.0) and fourth in run defense (93.8).
Johnson came to the Chargers after two seasons (2007-08) with Oakland in charge of the Raiders defensive tackles and two seasons (2005-06) coaching Chicago's defensive line. The Bears won the NFC Championship in 2006 and advanced to Super Bowl XLI after leading the NFL with 44 takeaways.
A former linebacker who played at Butler Community College and Jersey City State before playing for the USFL's New Jersey Generals, Johnson coached for 28 seasons on the prep and collegiate levels before entering the NFL coaching ranks with the Bears.
He was also part of the NFL's minority coaching internship program with the San Francisco 49ers for two seasons (1997-98).
Prior to entering the NFL, Johnson oversaw the defensive line at UCLA (2000-04) where defensive end Dave Ball was named the 2003 ABC-Chevrolet National Defensive Player of the Year after leading the country in sacks.
He coached defensive ends and special teams at Nevada (1995-99), helping the Wolf Pack win three conference titles and play in two bowl games during his tenure. He worked on the offensive side of the ball at Riverside CC (1987-90, '93-94) and Cal State Fullerton (1991-92) in addition to tutoring linebackers at his alma mater, Jersey City State, for two seasons (1984-85).
Johnson began his coaching career at his alma mater, Weequahic High School, in Newark, N.J. in 1977, before coaching at Santa Ana Valley (CA) High School from 1978-82. He also worked for 26 years as a high school and college basketball official, including eight at the NCAA Division I level.
Johnson and his wife, Deborah, have two daughters, Denise and Leanna, and a son, Don, Jr. Their fourth child, son Duane, passed away in an automobile accident in 2002.
