Johnson retires to become Riders DL coach

REGINA – Micah Johnson is entering the CFL coaching ranks.

The veteran defensive lineman retired after 13 CFL seasons Monday but will remain with the Grey Cup-champion Saskatchewan Roughriders as their defensive line coach.

Johnson, 37, capped his CFL playing career by helping Saskatchewan win the 2025 Grey Cup. The six-foot-one, 255-pound American was a league all-star last season for a second straight year after registering 20 tackles (two for loss) and six sacks.

Johnson is in his third stint with Saskatchewan, having also played with the Riders in 2019 and ’21 before rejoining the franchise in 2023.

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Johnson began his CFL career with Calgary (2013-18) and also spent time with Hamilton (2021). Johnson also signed with the B.C. Lions as a free agent in 2020, but the league didn’t play that year due to the global pandemic.

Johnson won his first two Grey Cup titles with Calgary (2014, ’18). He appeared in 178 CFL regular-season games, registering 309 tackles, two special-teams tackles, 71 sacks, two interceptions and six forced fumbles.

Johnson was a CFL all-star five times and a division all-star on seven occasions.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 5, 2026.