SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- Charles Johnson simply couldn’t get past nine seasons of hating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when the NFC South rival brought him in for a free-agent visit.

The Carolina Panthers defensive end referred to his March trip through Tampa Bay’s facility as “weird’’ and “awkward.’’

“Don’t get me wrong, because Tampa has a great organization, but it was awkward playing against them so many years,’’ Johnson said on Sunday. “You really have a hate factor for them and it was just really awkward.’’

Johnson had every right to hate the Panthers, who released him to clear $11 million under the salary cap.

Panthers defensive end Charles Johnson (95) hits the sled during training camp at Wofford College. Jeremy Brevard/USA TODAY Sports

But he couldn’t bring himself to hold a grudge against general manager Dave Gettleman or the organization in the way all-time leading wide receiver Steve Smith and running back DeAngelo Williams did after being released the previous two seasons.

Johnson wanted to stay with the team that selected him in the third-round of the 2007 draft out of Georgia so badly that he accepted a one-year deal worth $3 million.

In an NFL world of get everything you can while you can, that is almost unheard of.

“It’s kind of hard to leave something that you have invested so much in and the sky is the limit for this team,’’ Johnson said. “I want to help take this team to where we need to be.’’

That’s back in the Super Bowl, except this time Johnson wants to walk away with a championship ring.

“I love being here and if you love being in a place, why change to change it up?’’ Johnson said.

The one thing Johnson did change was his weight. He reported at 275 pounds, 10 pounds lighter than he was this time a year ago. He jokingly says hours on the golf course during an unusually hot offseason helped him shed the pounds.

He also shed about 10 strokes off his game, shooting a personal-best 92.

“I do feel a little lighter on my feet, but like I say it’s all about putting in the work, so we’ll see,’’ Johnson said.

Whether it is weight related or not, Johnson can’t say, but he hasn’t missed time during training camp with the nagging hamstring and knee issues that hampered him the past couple of years.

Johnson injured the hamstring so badly last season that he was placed on injured reserve with a designation to return after the second game. Second on Carolina’s all-time sack list with 63.5, he missed seven games and finished the regular season with a career-low one sack.

Johnson wasn’t really at full strength until the postseason, and it showed as he collected a sack in both playoff games and the Super Bowl.

He hasn’t had a double-digit sack season since 2013, when he collected 11. But, at 30, Johnson still believes that’s possible.

“There are other guys that are way older than me that are putting up numbers,’’ Johnson said. “I’m just going to try to stay healthy and help the team out any way possible.’’

And he’s not just talking about this season. Johnson hopes to play several more.

“I feel like this year is going to be, I wouldn’t say critical, but a big year for me,’’ he said.

Because he got a $30 million bonus in 2011 when he signed a six-year, $72 million deal that earned him the nickname “Big Money,’’ Johnson wasn’t worried about how much he earned this season.

In many ways, he’s enjoying not having the pressure of living up to a big deal or his nickname.

“It’s relaxing when you can come in and enjoy working at the place you love,’’ Johnson said. “This is kind of like a dream for me because I get to play where I want to play at without any consequences. I just get to be loose and have fun doing what I love.’’

And do it against teams, like Tampa Bay, that he hates.