Ty Marquise Johnson (1997- ), Professional Football Player

Ty Johnson was born in Cumberland, Maryland and graduated from Fort Hill High School in 2015. During his Junior and Senior years at Fort Hill Johnson led the “Sentinels” to back to back Maryland 1A State Football Championships during the 2013 and 2014 seasons. Johnson was a Maryland High School Consensus All-State selection in 2014 and was the No. 1 ranked running back in Maryland in his class.

Johnson was recruited by the University of Maryland Johnson and totaled 4,196 all-purpose yards during his four seasons with the Terrapins, this being the third-highest in the program’s history. Upon graduation in December 2018 Johnson was picked in the sixth round (186th overall) of the 2019 National Football League (NFL) draft by the Detroit Lions.  During his first season with the Detroit Lions Johnson had 63 carries for 273 yards, along with 24 pass receptions for 109 yards. Upon being waived by the Lions in 2020 Johnson was acquired by the New York Jets, where he remained until his release in 2023 with a non-football related injury designation. On August 21, 2023 Johnson signed with the Buffalo Bills, resigned in March 2024 and as of this 2025 writing remains a running back with the Buffalo Bills.

Johnson is a multiple-time recipient of the Dapper Dan Club of Allegany County’s highest honor, the George W. Stevenson/Nicholas A. Perlozzo Memorial Award. In January 2020 Johnson was recognized by the Sheriff of Allegany County, Maryland, Craig Robertson, for Johnson’s work in the mentoring the area’s young people. Robertson noted:

"This is presented to Ty Johnson in recognition of your commitment and dedication to mentoring students in Allegany County by following your dream, a dream of continuing to help local Allegany County students by helping them take the right path and seek out their own dream. In a time where family structure has drastically changed over the years, there is a tremendous need for people, for kids of all walks of life, to look up and see that life is too precious to waste. Ty, I believe I can speak for the majority of Allegany County that we are all proud of you."

The photograph depicted here of Ty Johnson at the microphone was taken by Albert L. Feldstein on "Ty Johnson Day" on the Downtown Cumberland Mall on May 6, 2019. Seated in the front row from left to right are Allegany County Board of Education members Tammy Fraley and Deb Frank; Ty's mother, Tracy Johnson; and the Mayor of Cumberland, Ray Morriss. Cumberland City Councilman Rock Cioni is seated in the second row and standing in the back is Mike McKay from the Maryland House of Delegates.