Carolina defensive end Charles Johnson was sitting in a chair reading The New York Times on Wednesday.
The Hawkinsville native, who starred at the Georgia, was politely interrupted from his morning reading but was more than happy to discuss how he is helping the youth back in the community that nurtured him.
He established the Charles Johnson Foundation to help Pulaski County, which is one of UGA's Archway partnership communities. Georgia has contact in the South Georgia county who works with the residents to address critical issues that may impede their efforts for economic development.
Johnson helps by sponsoring sports teams and gives away a $20,000 scholarship to a boy and girl during an annual Charles Johnson weekend.
“I do some of everything,” Johnson said. “I’m just trying to change the culture, change everything down there. I’m putting a lot of work in. I’m just trying to see my town just grow.”
Johnson helps kids get involved with basketball, football, cheerleading, soccer, basketball, tennis and plans to add golf this summer.
“We do it all,” Johnson said. “When we have the weekend, some of the pros come down to meet the kids and the kids have been responding to it. It’s been growing and growing.”
When Johnson is not chasing quarterbacks, like he hopes to in Sunday’s Super Bowl 50 against Denver, he’s kind of quiet and laid back.
“He’s that guy,” Carolina defensive tackle Kawann Short said. “He’s unselfish, humble and doesn’t talk about what’s going on. He just opens doors. I respect that guy 100 percent.”
Carolina cornerback Robert McClain, who is on his second stint with the Panthers, also has admiration for Johnson. The two first met after McClain was drafted by Carolina in the seventh-round in 2010.
“When I was with the Falcons, I would always talk to Charles before the game,” McClain said. “He’s a great leader. I can go to him for any type of guidance that I need.”
Fellow Panthers lineman Short has been to Hawkinsville to help with Johnson’s foundation work.
“Just to see how everybody acknowledges and loves Charles Johnson down there is unbelievable,” Short said. “It makes you want to do that for your hometown.”
Johnson has paid for transportation for his youth league kids to visit Georgia’s campus. They’ve played their championship games at the Ramsey Student Center and have toured the campus.
The foundation also paid the tuition for three African-American women in Pulaski to join the Pulaski Tomorrow leadership class, in honor of his mother.
After the 2011 NFL lockout, the Panthers signed Johnson to a $72 million contract with $32 million guaranteed. With his financial future set, Johnson knew it was time to give back to his community.
“That’s when I started pouring everything into it,” he said. “Back then, I didn’t have any kids eligible to get the scholarship because of their grades. Now, we have kids applying and they have made the standards that we set.”
Johnson felt that it was important not just to provide sports opportunities. He wanted to stress education.
“You’ve got to blend it all together,” Johnson said.
He enjoyed his time in Athens under former coach Mark Richt.
“I was growing into a young man,” Johnson said. “Just having Coach Richt mentor me, he really tried to show you the right way. It was just the small things that he did.”
Johnson has had a tough season. He was placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury on Sept. 29 and wasn’t activated until Nov. 24. He’s considered questionable for the Super Bowl with a knee injury. But he expects to play in the biggest game of his career.
“I’m living in the moment,” Johnson said. “I’m living every day. I’m taking it all in. This is all good, but we have some work to do.”
He is also looking forward to chasing Peyton Manning around.
“Anytime that you get to go against a guy that’s going to be in the Hall of Fame, you want to have a memorable game,” Johnson said.
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