Dennis Johnson is in his first season as the defensive line coach for the New York Giants after having previously held the same position for the Baltimore Ravens in 2024 and 2025.
Baltimore owned a top 10 defense against the run during the 2024 and 2025 seasons, allowing a league low 80.1 rushing yards per game in 2024, to go along with the 10th-fewest yards per contest (106.6) in 2025. Collectively, the Ravens allowed 3.9 yards per rushing attempt under Johnson, the second-lowest mark in the NFL over the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Johnson helped guide defensive lineman Nnamdi Madubuike to his second career Pro Bowl in 2024 after he totaled 17 quarterback hits, 11 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks.
Before Johnson started his NFL coaching career, he spent four seasons (2020-23) as the defensive line coach at Baylor University. A 12-2 record in 2021 highlighted Johnson's tenure, when Baylor finished number five in the final AP poll. That season, Baylor ranked in the top 20 in the country in rushing yards allowed per game (16th nationally, 118.4) and points allowed per game (14th, 18.3).
While at Baylor, Johnson guided four players to postseason honors, including defensive tackle Siaki Ika, who was tabbed as the 2021 Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and first-team All-Big 12 by the Associated Press. TJ Franklin (2023), Gabe Hall (2023) and William Bradley-King (2020) all earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors while playing under Johnson.
From 2014-19, Johnson held several roles on the defensive staff at his alma mater, LSU. He also played a key role in LSU's recruiting process, which finished with a nationally ranked class inside the top 10 in 2019 (fifth) and 2017 (seventh). In 2019, Johnson was an analyst for the Tigers, who finished 15-0 and captured the College Football Playoff National Championship.
Johnson spent the 2018 season as LSU's defensive line coach, after serving as the outside linebackers coach in 2017 and the last eight games of the 2016 season. He began coaching as a graduate assistant at LSU in 2014, primarily working with the defensive line.
Before coaching at LSU, Johnson spent two seasons at Northwestern State, working with the linebackers as a graduate assistant in 2012 before coaching the secondary in 2013.
A native of Amory, Miss., Johnson played defensive tackle at Amory High School before attending Itawamba Community College in Fulton, Miss. In 2009, Johnson transferred to LSU as a walk-on, appearing in 19 games from 2009-11. Johnson was a part of the Tigers' 2011 SEC Championship team that played in the 2012 BCS National Championship Game. LSU honored Johnson as the 2012 Student-Athlete of the Year for his contributions on the field and in the classroom. He graduated with a degree in general studies and earned a master's degree in health promotion and administration from Northwestern State.
2026-Present: New York Giants - Defensive Line
2024-25: Baltimore Ravens - Defensive Line
2020-23: Baylor - Defensive Line
2018: LSU - Defensive Line
2016-17: LSU - Outside Linebackers
2014-16: LSU - Graduate Assistant
2013: Northwestern State - Secondary
2012: Northwestern State - Graduate Assistant
