Sonny Johnson

Sonny Johnson

Sonny "Bear" Johnson
No. 95 – New Orleans Second Line
Position:	Defensive Tackle
Personal information
Born:	(2032-01-10)January 10, 2032 (aged 29) Helena, Montana, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:	330 lb (150 kg)
Username:	Sonny
Career information
High school:	Big Sky High School
College:	Missouri State
Career history
Roster status:	Active

Sonny "Bear" Johnson (born January 10, 2032) is an American football defensive tackle for the New Orleans Second Line of the National Simulation Football League. He played college football for Missouri State (MSU), and was drafted by NOLA in the second round of the S42 draft.

Early years

Sonny "Bear" Johnson's early life was marked by hardship and isolation. Being bigger and stronger than other kids his age in rural Montana, he was often ostracized and bullied. As an orphan, he had few people to rely on and struggled to find a sense of belonging.

However, football provided a refuge for Sonny. He discovered a passion for the game and found that he was able to excel on the field. Through football, he found a sense of purpose and camaraderie that he had never experienced before. His success on the field gave him a sense of self-worth and helped him overcome the feelings of inadequacy and rejection that he had struggled with for so long.

At Big Sky High School, Sonny was a standout on both the offensive and defensive lines. As a defensive tackle, he quickly established himself as one of the best players in the state, earning a reputation as a fierce competitor who was never afraid to take on larger opponents. His size and strength were impressive, but what set him apart was his innate ability to read the opposing team's plays and make tackles before they could gain any yardage.

His "bear" nickname was given to him by a local reporter after a herculean performance in his senior year against arch-rivals the Falcon Valley High School.

Sonny's success on the field did not go unnoticed, and college scouts from across the country began to take an interest in him.

College career

Despite receiving offers from several prestigious football programs, Sonny chose to play for Missouri State, a school that was a few states away from his hometown. He was drawn to the school's football program and the opportunity to be part of a close-knit team.

As a freshman, Johnson quickly established himself as a key player on the team, starting every game at defensive tackle and earning recognition as the Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year.

Johnson continued to excel throughout his college career, earning First-Team All-Conference honours three times and being named an All-American in his senior year.

College career statistics

Career statistics			Defense
Season	Team	Games	Tck	TFL	Sck
2052	Missouri State	12	48	7.5	3
2053	Missouri State	11	52	11	5
2054	Missouri State	12	58	12.5	4.5
2055	Missouri State	12	61	13	4.5

DSFL career

2056

Declaring late, Johnson missed the annual draft, but was claimed off the waivers by the Kansas City Coyotes. Johnson started every game of the regular and post-season. Recording 43 tackles and 1 forced fumble in the regular season, he averaged 3 tackles a game. Over the course of the season his tackling ability significantly improved, and by the end of the season he was able to demonstrate a much more polished technique, which increased his effectiveness in bringing down opposing players. Although he didn't record any sacks or interceptions, a personal disappointment, and something Johnson intends to retrieve in 2057, his contributions on the defensive line were evident. Without question his best performance of the 2056 season was in the Week 1 loss against the London Royals, where Johnson recorded 8 tackles. Overall, Johnson feels it was a steady rookie season as a Defensive Tackle. He looks to continues to gain experience and improve his skills over the off-season and return in 2057 as a key player for the Kansas City Coyotes.

2057

There was never any doubt towards the latter part of the 2056 season that Sonny was going to stick with the Coyotes for the 2057 season. It was a decision he second-guessed for long parts of the season as he was played in the left defensive end position and felt he made little to no significance progress as a player for long periods. The team's losing record perhaps helped to form his negative mindset however ultimately the team's season finished the same way as his rookie year, with a loss in the North DSFL championship game. The season saw Johnson give a constant output of steady performances in his new position in the front 3 line-up. Arguably his best game was against away to the Buccaneers, in a loss, 21-20. Johnson recorded 4 tackles, 1 tackle-for-loss and 1 sack. The main takeaway from the season was the need to grind hard every week to improve as a player and be in a position to contribute more to the team and his team-mates.

DSFL career statistics

Career statistics			Defense
Season	Team	Games	Tck	TFL	Sck
2056	Kansas City Coyotes	14	43	0	0
2057	Kansas City Coyotes	14	48	2	2

ISFL career

2058

Johnson joined a New Orleans Second Line team that had gone 1-15 in their previous two seasons. Expectations were not high among the fan base at the outlook of the 2058 season. It proved to be well founded as the team once again finished the season with a record of 1-15, their sole win coming in week 7 at home to the Arizona Outlaws, a close 26-23 victory which saw Johnson record 4 tackles and a sack on Outlaws quarterback Donovan Winters III. Whilst the season will go down in the record books as much of the same for New Orleans, the rookie pairing of Johnson and Allister Adebam at the defense tackle position in a 4-3 scheme anchored by defense ends Bruce White and Mike Scott, according to management is the nucleus for the Second Line to begin turning the ship around. The 2059 season is one to look out for as Johnson expects to see a boost in the defense line output.

2059

Johnson second season in New Orleans brought with it greater expectations that the Second Line team would push on from their last two seasons poor records of 1-15. The 2059 season would be a year of minor improvements for both player and team. The team started well in pre-season despite the loss of defensive end Mike Scott, the early form carried over to an opening day victory against the Chicago Butchers, however once again the team found itself hitting a run of losses, six to be precise until they found their next win of the season away to the Colorado Yeti, it was not long until the team secured their third, and final victory of the season in week 11 against the Yellowknife Wraiths. The rookie pairing of Johnson and Allister Adebam continued to develop at the defense tackle position in the 4-3 scheme. Adebam with 25 tackles and 2 sacks, Johnson with 31 tackles and 5 sacks, combined for a healthy 56 tackles and 7 sacks from the position for the team.

2060

In Johnson's third season with the New Orleans Second Line franchise, the team once again finished dead last in the ASFC. All said and done the team had a challenging season with a mixed performance. They started the season with three losses; against the Chicago Butchers, Austin Copperheads, and New York Silverbacks. In week 4 they bounced back with a convincing win against the San Jose Saber Cats. The team struggled to maintain consistency throughout the season, facing both victories and defeats. Notable moments include a significant win against the Honolulu Hahalua in Week 7 and a close victory against the Colorado Yeti in Week 8. Despite some positive outcomes, they experienced setbacks in later weeks, including a narrow loss to the Orange County Otters and a defeat against the Arizona Outlaws. The Second Line displayed resilience by securing crucial wins against the New York Silverbacks and Sarasota Sailfish in Weeks 14 and 15, respectively. However, the season concluded with a loss to the Honolulu Hahalua in the final week. Sonny Johnson grew as season continued. He started all 16 games, demonstrating prowess in disrupting the opposing offenses, registering 56 tackles, 12 tackles for loss (TFL), and consistent presence in the backfield.

2061

The 2061 season was tough for Johnson. He didn't start every game due to a coaching oversight, and he was blindsided by front office defensive moves during the off-season. No longer in a partnership with Allister Adebam, who had been converted into a linebacker, Johnson instead had to forge a new dynamic and understanding with veteran Bruce White, another position convert during the same off-season from defensive end to defensive tackle. White started every game and statistically achieved more than Johnson, with 12 sacks to 1. With all these changes, a dip in his own performance and the team's continued negative record, Johnson and the teams front office had several talks during the season about the future of the franchise and his own. His fourth season with the Secondline was one to forget, going into his final contract year with the team in 2062, Johnson will be looking to showcase his skills to the league and aim to end on a high, if it is the end.

ISFL career statistics

Career statistics			Defense
Season	Team	Games	Tck	TFL	Sck
2058	New Orleans Second Line	16	37	1	3
2059	New Orleans Second Line	16	31	0	5
2060	New Orleans Second Line	16	56	12	0
2061	New Orleans Second Line	15	46	0	1

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