Football program hires Michael Johnson to coach running backs. Johnson is a University of North Alabama Hall of Famer and former Seattle Seahawk and Kansas City Chief.
“I’m extremely humbled, extremely blessed,” Johnson said. “God’s been good to myself and my family, and I just kind of have to pinch myself still to make sure it’s real because it’s a dream to be back.”
From Panama City, Fla., Johnson arrived at UNA in 2005. He started his in-field football career in 2006 as a redshirt freshman. He graduated in 2009 with a senior class that totaled an impressive 44 wins and 9 losses, the third best winning record in UNA football history.
Throughout his four years as a Lion, he was a four-time All-Gulf South Conference, four-time All-Super Region 2 and two-time All-American. He was voted National Defensive Player of the Year by Daktronics and D2Football.com, and also earned Gulf South Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2009. He graduated with 365 total tackles, 31.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks.
“I just wanted to win,” Johnson said.
His first three years were under Head Coach Mark Hudspeth, who would later bring on Johnson to coach under his administration at Gulf Shores High School.
“I have to thank Coach Hud so much for some of the core values that he taught me,” Johnson said. “Just how to be an awesome leader, an awesome teammate, a good father, a good man to my family and my children. And that directly affects me in my coaching life as well because it’s the same person pretty much.”
Post graduation, Johnson was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in 2010, and he later signed with the Kansas City Chiefs.
In 2021, Johnson was immortalized at UNA’s Hall of Fame. And in the spring of 2025, Head Coach Brent Dearmon made sure to add him to his staff.
“Michael Johnson is the definition of UNA greatness,” Dearmon said. “Bringing a hall of famer back home is an awesome feeling. Mike’s love for UNA and level of toughness will make us even better in all phases of our program.”
As a coach, Johnson is focusing on relationships.
“I’m big on knowing why a kid does things or why they don’t do things,” he said. “Have you gone through trauma? Do you have a male role model? Do you like football or do you love it? Is school important to you? Is football important to you? That way I kind of have an idea of how I can coach kids because every one of them is different and I like to get to know them in that way.”
Looking forward to a 2025 season, Johnson is aiming to coach the running backs into toughness, for mind and body.
“They will go out and compete and leave it all out on the field, and we’re gonna score some touchdowns and make the crowd celebrate quite a bit,” Johnson said. “That’s the plan.”
The coach is excited to continue his UNA journey, but through different lenses now. Johnson said the university is “where it all started” for him, and that is what makes it so special.
