‘It’s the whole deal for me:’ Micah Johnson joins Riders for third stint

The third time could prove to be the charm for the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Micah Johnson.

“When the opportunity popped up and (Riders general manager Jeremy O’Day) let me know that bringing me back was something they would be interested in as long as I was interested in it (and) as long as I was open, communication started and it went well,” Johnson, 34, told The Green Zone.

The defensive tackle played with the Riders in 2019, but left in the 2020 offseason to join the B.C. Lions. That year, the CFL season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Johnson rejoined the Riders for the 2021 season again, but played in 2022 with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

After recording seven sacks last season, which ended in Johnson being named an East Division all-star, the product of Columbus, Ga., signed with the Riders on the first day of free agency last week.

“I love (Regina). I really didn’t want to leave,” he said. “Just the situation that was going on with my family and everything, I just felt like I really had to be closer to home for a while. I’m very excited, just the culture and how big football is to the people out there (and) how important it is.

“(I love) the facility and they treat us great in Saskatchewan. It’s the whole deal for me. I’m a simply football dude; I don’t do too much outside of working out and playing football.”

Johnson will join a Riders team looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2022 season, when it posted a 6-12 record.

Despite the struggles last season brought, Johnson said that didn’t factor into his decision when choosing who to sign with.

“We’re the ones on the field first so the record is indicative of how (players) played. For me, it wasn’t a thing like, ‘Oh man, they had a losing record, why go back there?’ For me, I was looking at how I could go back there and elevate the play on the field and hope that turns into wins,” Johnson said. “If you’re a real competitor and you understand ball and are a real leader, I don’t think stepping into that situation is scary.

“At the end of the day, it was a lot of bad ball last year. You lose when you play bad ball; you lose when you play undisciplined football. I don’t look at it as being a cultural issue or a problem with (O’Day) why they were losing or a problem with Craig (Dickenson, the head coach) why they were losing. I think you have to evaluate stuff as a player first.”

The move will reunite Johnson with defensive end Pete Robertson and defensive tackle Anthony Lanier II, with whom he played in 2021.

Robertson had nine sacks last season with Lanier II tacking on eight of his own.

“Pete and Anthony are two guys that I talk to on the daily,” Johnson said. “Even when I left and was in Hamilton, we talked regularly about things that were going on throughout the season. I just feel like the camaraderie and the relationship we have built … I already know how Pete plays, he knows how I play (and) I know how Anthony plays.”

The defence will also add a new piece in defensive end Stefen Banks. His first two CFL seasons were with Calgary, where he racked up four sacks in each of his seasons there.

“Everything I’ve heard about Stefen is great. He’s a great culture guy and a quick learner. He’s a guy that put up numbers in a rotational role so we feel like if he slides in there — whether as a starter or not — we feel like he’s a guy that will contribute and give you a good weapon,” Johnson said.

Johnson was one of the big free agents signed by the Riders last week, with one of the others being quarterback Trevor Harris.

“Trevor is, first and foremost, a guy who understands the game and you see that when it comes to him — a quarterback that is able to make adjustments at the line of scrimmage and a quarterback that can analyze the defence and know what he’s looking at and it starts with him mentally. He has a quick release,” Johnson said.

The veteran quarterback also reached out to Johnson when rumours started to swirl the defensive lineman was going to be joining Saskatchewan.

“He has confidence in me. I’ve sacked him a few times, and I have confidence in him because he’s beaten me a few times,” Johnson said.

The Riders hope Johnson can continue to handle business like he has throughout his 10-year CFL career.

“(O’Day) and Craig told me to bring the same thing back. They told me they missed the leadership and a real physical presence in the middle of the defence — a guy you know what they’re going to bring game in and game out,” Johnson said.

“Be a disruptor. They want to have somebody that teams have to game plan for and that’s what I’ve made my staple off of. I just want to remain a guy that teams have to game plan for and if you don’t, you can wreck the game.”