Dane Johnson Jr.

Dane Johnson Jr.

Dane Johnson Jr.
No. 73 – Sarasota Sailfish
Position:	Offensive Lineman
Personal information
Born:	(2024-03-21)March 21, 2024 (aged 37) Toledo, Ohio, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Weight:	325 lb (147 kg)
Username:	Rocketman13
Career information
High school:	Pike-Delta-York High School
College:	University of Toledo
ISFL Draft:	2049  / Round: 3 / Pick: 30
DSFL Draft:	2048  / Round: 2 / Pick: 10
Career history
London Royals (2048 (S33)-2049 (S34)) San Jose Sabercats (2050 (S35)-2054 (S39)) Sarasota Sailfish (2055 (S40)-present)
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Roster status:	Active
Career DSFL statistics
Sacks allowed: 1 Pancakes: 53"

Dane Johnson Jr. (born March 21, 2024) is an American football offensive lineman for the Sarasota Sailfish of the International Simulation Football League (ISFL).

Early years

Dane Johnson Jr. is a professional football player born in Toledo, Ohio to parents Dane and Ashley Johnson on March 21st, 2024. Dane Jr. played several sports growing up, including football, baseball, and hockey, He attended Pike-Delta-York High School in Delta, Ohio. On the football team he was voted All-District twice and All-State his senior year. He was also voted NWOAL Offensive Player of the Year in 2043 after leading the Panthers to a league championship. He was also named to the NWOAL All-Academic Team in both 2042 and 2043. Johnson also played for the varsity basketball team in 2040 and 2041, where he averaged nearly 6 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game. Johnson was lightly recuited at the FBS level and initially committed to the University of Dayton on a partial scholarship. Soon after, he recieved an offer from Toledo head coach Matt Candle and signed a letter of committment to the University of Toledo Rockets.

College career

As a freshman Dane saw little playing time, but did appear in two games against VMI and Kent State. He took over the starting role at Right Tackle during the 2045 season, playing in all 12 games. As an upperclassman Johnson Jr. shined, and was voted all-MAC in both 2046 and 2047. Johnson was also voted a captain of the team for the 2047 season.

Johnson was also a leader for the Rockets off of the field, appearing at several community and charity events and helping to organize the Rockets' Charity Turkey Bowl, which is an outreach event for children affected by gun violence. In an interview with WTOL Channel 11 News, Johnson remarked "It's a great time for all of us. We get to teach these kids something about the game and they love being on the field at the Glass Bowl. These kids have lost siblings, parents, and friends to gun violence both in our community and in the Detroit area, so I hope spending a little time like this is able to give them something back."

College career statistics

Career statistics			Offensive Line
Season	Team	Games	Pancakes	Sacks Allowed
2044	Toledo	2	4	0
2045	Toledo	12	44	3
2046	Toledo	14	62	1
2047	Toledo	13	55	0

Professional career

Johnson was drafted 10th overall in the first round by the London Royals. When asked by Sun Times reporter Johnson A. Stevenson how he was planning on adjusting to life in the United Kingdom he replied "Looks like finding an apartment I can afford is going to be the biggest struggle. The Royals offensive staff has been awesome, and I'm already learning the playbook while I try and book a flight over." The Royals struggled during Johnson's transition to professional football, taking losses in every preseason game as well as their first five regular-season matchups. London closed the season with wins in six of their final nine games and were not mathematically eliminated until week 13. Johnson's play likewise improved as the season wore on, gaining praise from teammates and even opposing coaches. One Bondi Beach defensive coach remarked "Number 73 [Johnson] is a load on that right side man. If our guys can't get up on the snap and stop his momentum he's rolling right over the D End. No wonder they keep running the ball that way."

In the 2049 DSFL season Johnson started all 14 games at right tackle, giving up just one sack while recording 67 pancake blocks, good for 3rd in the league. Johnson's play and new role as an offensive leader earned him a trip to the DSFL awards show as the eventual winner for Offensive Lineman of the Year. London's season was marked by close games on both sides of the ledger, with 8 games decided by one score. Despite improved play on both sides of the ball London remained at 6-8, again narrowly missing the playoffs. When asked about the impact missing the playoffs had in the locker room by reporters Johnson stated "That's always the goal in pro football. We're here to win a championship. So anytime you fail to do that it's going to be a disappointment. But I would just say that our young guys improved tremendously over the course of the season and we're gonna work even harder in the offseason to get there next year."

The San Jose SaberCats drafted Johnson in the 3rd round of the 2049 ISFL draft, and called him to the ISFL level for the 2050 season. Johnson played Center for the SaberCats in his rookie year, totaling 56 pancakes vs 2 sacks surrendered. One aspect of the higher league gave him some issues as he was flagged for six penalties on the season, more than his entire DSFL career. When asked, Johnson told The Mercury News "I think they're just calling things a little tighter than I'm used to. The competition here is so intense that you have to keep that position any way that you can, and sometimes the officials will interpret that as a penalty." San Jose narrowly missed the playoffs with an 8-8 record. When asked to comment, Johnson said "I think it's important to stay positive. We had some really good team wins this year and things just didn't bounce our way. We're also still getting better each week and I'm hoping next year we'll be ready to take that next step forward and not just make the playoffs but make a dent once we get there. This franchise has three Ultimus titles for a reason. We've got some tough competition in the ASFC so we have to be prepared every week to go out there and battle."

2051 was an improved year for the SaberCats as they posted a 10-6 record in the ASFC and made the playoffs. Johnson's play was steady as he accounted for 52 pancakes and gave up just two sacks in 16 games. Unfortunately the home field advantage was not enough to get San Jose to the ASFC Championship game, as the Outlaws controlled the entire second half and San Jose's offense ground to a halt. On the SaberCats' zero second-half points, Johnson told the Mercury News "That's really on us. They made some halftime adjustments and we failed to do the same. Our defense played well enough for us to win that game, we've just got to get some drives to pay off, especially in a home playoff game." Johnson played well enough in the final year of his rookie contract to receive an extension in San Jose worth $2.25 million per year, as well as a $5M million signing bonus. On re-signing with the SaberCats Johnson remarked to reporters "There were some other offers out there, but I want to win a championship here in San Jose. I've been really impressed with the front office here, they seem to try and do everything they can to make the team better."

Johnson's third season with the SaberCats was marked by personal improvement in play while suffering through a disappointing season for the team. With high expectations coming off a playoff year, the SaberCats' propensity for losing close games reared its ugly head. Despite holding a positive point differential on the season, San Jose limped to a 6-10 regular-season record, with seven losses of ten points or fewer. Johnson told reporters: "All these teams are fighting for the same thing, and we need to be able to make plays down the stretch if we want to win. There's such a small gap in talent and the coaches are all so dialed in at this level you have to win those tiny victories every play. I still think we're right there with the best teams in the league, but they say you are what your record says you are, and we aren't a winning team." Despite the struggles Johnson but up record numbers with 75 pancakes and 3 sacks surrendered.

2053 was a bounce-back year for the SaberCats and a banner year for Johnson, who was moved from Center to Left Tackle for the first time in his career. During an interview with ABC7 Sports, Johnson opined "It's really a whole different game on the end of the line. On the interior you're mostly worried about a bull rush or power move putting you back in the QB's lap in pass protection, whereas at Tackle you need to be worried about the speed rush and the finesse moves. Typically you're taking on the defense's best pass rusher, so it's a huge challenge. Luckily I have great coaches and teammates who were able to help me make that leap and succeed." Johnson would find success statistically, giving up just three sacks while registering more than 100 pancake blocks and helping San Jose return to the playoffs after being left out the previous season.

2054 was up-and-down year for both Johnson and the SaberCats. San Jose would struggle to run the football for most of the year and instead relied heavily on a passing attack that while potent, displayed some inconsistency. When asked about the balance of the offense during a locker room interview Johnson quipped "It's supposed to be a source of pride for guys like us up front. We want to be able to impose our will on the defense. and right now the opposite is happening." San Jose attempted a league-low 292 rushes in 2054, resulting in only 1187 yards of offense, their lowest in ten seasons. As a result of the run/pass split Johnson Jr. saw a dip in production, with only 90 pancakes and a career-high five sacks surrendered. After a crushing loss to New Orleans and a first-round shellacking by Arizona, Johnson was asked whether he intended to return to San Jose: "I don't know right now. I'm going to take my time and see what come out. San Jose will always be home to me, but I need to know I'm landing in the best spot for my career." After talks with several teams in free agency Johnson signed a 3 year, $15 million contract with the Sarasota Sailfish. "I'm pretty excited. There are a lot of people I knew from my DSFL days in the Sarasota organization, and I'm hopeful we can make a run to win at least one Ultimus while I'm here. It wasn't an easy decision to make but the guys here in Sarasota are already making me feel like part of the team."

2055 saw Johnson with a new team for the first time in his career. As one of the most highly coveted free agents on the market, Johnson had many teams contacting his agent and asking for his services. Eventually he agreed to a five year, $15 million contract with the Sarasota Sailfish. "Right away I knew that Sarasota could be that right fit. I'm super happy it worked out on both sides, and I'm ready to anchor a really good offensive line." Dane went into training camp as the presumptive star on the line, and his season performance reflected his new status. His 103 pancakes to just 3 sacks surrendered was among his best seasons in the ISFL, but the Sailfish struggled to stay afloat in a highly competitive NSFC. Sarasota's 8-7-1 record was just enough to get them a playoff berth, though eventual conference champion Yellowknife proved too much for Sarasota, who mustered just three points in the first half of a 47-31 loss. When asked to reflect on his first season by the Harald-Tribune, Johnson said "You know I think we're right there in terms of competitiveness. We were the highest-scoring team in the league this year and had a really good defense, but just couldn't get those key plays when it mattered most. I think it's going to be even better next year."

2056 saw Dane's predictions come true as Sarasota improved to 9-7 and once again secured a playoff berth. The sailfish were again one of the highest scoring teams in the league behind a career year from Johnson. He posted a career-high 109 pancake blocks while surrendering just 2 sacks. "Second year in the system, I've got the confidence to go out and just play without worrying about knowing my assignment. It helps that the rest of the line is incredibly tough. Having Big Tuna next to me on the line is just such a reassuring thing, and we communicate really well." Johnson's performance helped quarterback Willier Miller lead the league in passing yards with 5047. The team turned in a dominant performance in the first round of the playoffs with a 40-16 bludgeoning of the defending NSFC champion Yellowknife Wraiths on the road. When asked how it felt to get a win in a hostile environment, Dane told ABC7 WWSB "That's what you live for as a competitor, to go in there and silence a crowd like that. We really turned in on in the fourth quarter to put it away. I'm just super proud of the guys and the effort it took to get where we are now." Unfortunately the ride ended the following week when eventual Ultimus champions Cape Town defeated Sarasota 34-20. "We're improving every year. I just want to play in that ultimate game, you know?"

Pre-draft measurables

Ht	Wt	40‑yd dash	20‑ss	3‑cone	Vert jump	Broad	BP	Wonderlic
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)	325 lb (147 kg)	5.16 s		8.02 s	27.5 in (0.70 m)	9 ft 0 in (2.74 m)	28 reps	36
2049 ISFL scouting combine (S34)

Professional career statistics

Career statistics			Offensive Line
	Team	Games	Pancakes	Sacks Allowed
2048 (S33)	LON	14	53	1
2049 (S34)	LON	14	67	1
2050 (S35)	SJS	16	56	2
2051 (S36)	SJS	16	52	2
2052 (S37)	SJS	16	75	3
2053 (S38)	SJS	16	107	3
2054 (S39)	SJS	16	90	5
2055 (S40)	SAR	16	103	3
2056 (S41)	SAR	16	109	2

Achievements and records

Individual

• DSFL Offensive Lineman of the Year: 2049

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