He thrived on the Packers 4–3 defense, and recorded 14 sacks by the eighth game of the season. Johnson had two sacks and forced two fumbles in a 45–28 win against the Seattle Seahawks on October 16, 1978. At that time, the Packers had the best record in the NFC Central at 6–1. By the end of the year, Johnson recorded an unofficial 20.5 sacks, a statistic used, but not kept, by the NFL until 1982. However, the Packers offense were among the worst in the league, and the team lost a chance for a playoff berth in the final game of the season against the Los Angeles Rams. Johnson was rewarded for his efforts by being selected to play in the Pro Bowl and was rewarded with the Packers Defensive Player of the Year award. In 1979, Johnson missed seven games early in the season because of a sprained left ankle. On his return against the Minnesota Vikings on November 11, he sacked quarterback Tommy Kramer four times in a 19–7 win. During that period, Johnson teamed up with fellow first-round pick Mike Butler to form one of the league's most potent defensive lineups. Nicknamed the "Gang Green", they became known for their ability to pressure the quarterback to force a sack. Johnson was notoriously fined $1,000 and required by then-general manager–head coach Bart Starr to apologize for eating a hot dog on the sidelines during the fourth quarter of a 38–0 Packers' home preseason loss to the Denver Broncos on August 30, 1980. Starr gave Johnson back the $1,000 at the end of the year. However, defensive line coach Fred von Appen resigned five days after the incident because Starr refused to suspend Johnson. He started in all 15 games that season, as the Packers finished with a 5–10–1 record. After the season, Johnson and Butler were both criticized for not playing up to the Packers expectations when they drafted them. One journalist stated that their development was halted because of a lack of stability in the Green Bay coaching situation, who went through four defensive line coaches in three years. In 1981, Johnson lost his starting role to Casey Merrill as the Packers had changed to a 3–4 defensive scheme, and decided instead to use Johnson exclusively for pass rushing situations. It was a decision which confused the local media as Johnson had been the starter since