Known as a tireless running midfielder, Johnson's career honours include All-Australian selection in 2001, the same year he won the W.S. Crichton Medal for Essendon's best and fairest player. In the same year, he was considered to be the best on ground in the famous Round 16 game between Essendon and North Melbourne in which Essendon came back from 69 points, a record comeback in VFL/AFL which remains to this day. In the game, he polled three Brownlow Medal votes, had 31 disposals, 13 clearances, 10 inside-50s, and kicked four goals. It is considered to be the best game of his career.
On 25 August 2008, Johnson and long-time teammate Adam Ramanauskas announced their intention to retire from football at the end of the 2008 AFL season.[1]
Johnson now sits on the AFL Tribunal jury, adjudicating high-profile cases that arise during the regular season.[2]