After a year away, Pepper Johnson ready for a return to the sidelines

Pepper Johnson wants back in.

The former linebackers and defensive line coach for 14 seasons with the Patriots, who was out of the NFL all last season, is looking to return to the sidelines. Whether it’s small college, big college, or the pros, he’s making his case to come back to the sport he loves.

“I have a passion for football,” he told BostonSportsJournal.com. “I would love to get back into the game to continue my passion, either as a head coach or defensive coordinator.”

Johnson has been serving as something of a personal coach for young defensive linemen over the last year, tutoring them in the finer points of the game. But now, he wants to get back on a staff as a full-timer somewhere.

“I’m ready,” he said.

Johnson and the Patriots were synonymous for more than a decade. The former Giants linebacker joined Bill Belichick’s staff after Belichick was hired as the head coach in New England in 2000, and Johnson served as the linebackers and defensive line coach for 14 seasons. Along the way, he carved out a niche as a trusted assistant, one who earned the respect of players and coaches for his hard work and dedication. The fact that he was the only member of the Patriots’ coaching staff who played at a high level probably didn’t hurt either.

(In practice, Johnson ran the New England scout team, nicknamed "The Dirty Show," a group that would frequently boast of playing tougher defense on Tom Brady than anyone on the New England schedule. "I liked to say that we defended Tom a lot better than a lot of teams we played against," he recalled with a cackle. "We did damage in practice. In the game for him, it was a cakewalk.")

In all, as a player (with the Giants, Browns and Jets) and coach, he had spent more than 20 years with Belichick, a remarkable run for anyone. But after the 2013 season, he decided to try life without Belichick, leaving the franchise and eventually landing as the defensive line coach in Buffalo. That was followed by two seasons with the Jets in the same capacity.

“I wanted to see what I would do away from Bill Belichick,” he recalled. “So I decided to test the world and test the league and see what I could do.

“What happened was that I just got slapped in the face with a five-pound bag of flour,” he said. “It seems to me that a lot of people don’t care about … winning in the league. You look around the league right now, and I don’t mean to sound bad, but I don’t think the results and evaluation that are being used to (judge) some of the guys who are being hired aren’t really being looked at.”

Johnson, who is on Twitter these days, points to his resume as an assistant on three Super Bowl champions, as well as his background as a linebacker on one of the finest defenses of the late 1980s and early 1990s, and believes it stacks up with anyone.

“Before the year starts you can see some of the guys in the preseason games,” he said. “They’re talking about this coordinator or that coach who will be marketed as a possible head coach at the end of the year. The question is where does that come from? What is (causing) that to be said on the air? I’m not saying everybody is like that, but it makes you wonder.”

One of the things that he regrets is that over the last few years, he feels he’s missed out on some jobs because he was straightforward with the interviewers when it came to his ultimate goal.

“I am trying to pursue elevation,” he said, “and I know sometimes people don’t want to hire someone like that because they don’t feel secure in their own jobs.”

Johnson admitted the departure from New England is still difficult. He moved out the area after he left the Patriots, saying it was too tough to be around. He said the last time he talked with Belichick was roughly a year ago, but was quick to add the friendship that started roughly 25 years ago hasn’t changed.

“We won a lot with the Patriots,” Johnson said, “but when I left, it was hard for me personally to be there in the offseason.”

Johnson’s passion for the game is clear. The 54-year-old says he feels sharp, and is excited for the next chapter in his life … wherever that takes him.

“I’d coach anywhere. It doesn’t matter — small college, big college, the league,” he said. “I just want to continue what I’ve been doing.”