Q: What motivated you to want to become a coach?
A: I wanted to become a coach because it gave me the opportunity to stay close to a game that has always been an important part of my life, while also impacting young people the same way my coaches impacted me.
Growing up, the guys who blew the whistles were some of the most influential people in my life. They pushed me, challenged me, believed in me, and helped shape the person I became. Coaching gave me an opportunity to be that same person for the next generation. I realized that I could use football not just to teach the game, but to help young people grow, mature, and see something greater in themselves.
Q: Who has had the biggest influence on you as a coach?
A: The person who had the biggest influence on me as a coach never played a sport and proudly considered himself a computer geek—my father Lee Johnson. Somehow, he could take his personal experiences and relate them perfectly to football without ever playing a down.
What made him special was his ability to make difficult situations seem small. No matter what I was dealing with—a tough loss, a difficult decision, a player, a parent, or just life—his wisdom always seemed to fit the situation. He taught me to slow things down, keep things in perspective, and understand that most problems have a solution.
My father may have never coached a game, but there is a lot of him in the way I coach today.
Q: Beyond the Xs and Os and win-loss record, what impact do you hope to have in your community?
A: I want my impact to be seen in the young people who leave our program and become productive members of their communities. Football gives us an opportunity to reach them, but the real goal is to help them understand their value, recognize their potential, and prepare them for life.
If our players leave us better prepared to become leaders, fathers, husbands, professionals, and people who give back to others, then we've done something much bigger than win football games. Ultimately, I want our program to help build young men who go on to build stronger families and stronger communities.
Q: What is one lesson you hope your players carry with them beyond football?
A: I want my players to understand that their lives are bigger than football. As they grow into adulthood, people will depend on them—their families, their children, and their communities. I want them to see themselves as the foundation that others can build on.
Q: What does it mean to you to receive this recognition from the Commanders?
A: Receiving this recognition from the Commanders means a lot because it shows that consistency and hard work still matter. After doing this for over 20 years, you don't necessarily think about recognition—you just keep showing up, doing the work, and pouring into young people.
For me, this recognition is bigger than football and bigger than me. It represents the players, coaches, families, school, and community that have been a part of this journey. I'm proud of the wins and championships, but I'm most proud of the young men we've helped develop along the way.
