Former New York Giants Linebacker Pepper Johnson Lands New Coaching Gig

Former New York Giants linebacker and long-time NFL assistant coach Thomas "Pepper" Johnson becomes a first-time head coach after being promoted by the IMG Academy.

Former New York Giants linebacker Pepper Johnson, a second-round draft pick (No. 51 overall) out of Ohio State by the Giants in 1986 who starred for the 1986 and 1990 Super Bowl teams, has been named the head coach at IMG Academy.

Former Ohio State linebacker Pepper Johnson is now the head coach at IMG Academy, where he was previously defensive coordinator. https://t.co/f40Bp4b049
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) June 23, 2021

Johnson played seven seasons with the Giants before moving on to play for the Browns, Lions, and Jets, his last season being 1998. He became an NFL assistant coach for the Patriots in 2000, spending 13 years on Bill Belichick's staff (Belichick, his former defensive coordinator with the Giants and his head coach during Johnson's sting in Cleveland) as the team's linebackers coach.

Johnson, who got the moniker "Pepper" from an aunt who observed how Johnson used to like to put pepper on his cornflakes, was also an assistant coach for the Bills (2014) and Jets (2014-2015), serving as the defensive line coach for both teams.

He was most recently the defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Wildcats of the XFL reboot project, but lasting just one game.

His NFL coaching career includes stints with the Patriots (primarily with LBs), the Bills (defensive line), and the Jets (defensive line).

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