Cornerback/returner starred for Blue Bombers in early 2010s

Erie native Jovon Johnson received a big honor from one of his former Canadian Football League teams last week.

Johnson was named as one of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ players of the decade on a team called the “Blue’s Best of the 2010s”.

Johnson, who retired last year from a 12-year career in the CFL, was one of 10 players named on the team’s website.

Johnson played cornerback and returned kicks for Winnipeg from 2008-13. He was voted the CFL Most Outstanding Defensive Player in 2011. He had eight interceptions and returned two for touchdowns that season.

Here’s what the site said about Johnson:

“Awards with Wpg. during the decade: CFL Most Outstanding Defensive Player (2011); East Division Most Outstanding Defensive Player (2011); CFL All-Star (2011); Division All-Star ( 2010, 2011, 2012); Blue Bombers Most Outstanding Player (2011); Blue Bombers Most Outstanding Defensive Player (2011); Blue Bombers Most Outstanding Special-Teams Player (2010, 2011).

Why he’s on our list: He was simply dominant at the start of the decade, winning four different Bombers Most Outstanding awards (outstanding, defensive and twice for special teams) while being the first defensive back in CFL history to win the league’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player honours.“