Preston Lewis is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Betty H. Fairfax for AZPreps365.com.

As the Betty H. Fairfax Stampede work through their pregame routines and coaches make their final preparations, JaDonn Johnson gets ready for another Friday night in the trenches.

At 6-foot-3 and 310 pounds, the senior is a presence on both sides of the ball, lining up at nose guard on defense and offensive tackle on offense. But before he takes the field, there's something his coach wants him to remember.

“He’s still right there, standing off to the side, watching you play.”

Coach Ducy Burwell is referring to Johnson’s father, JaJuan. For years, JaJuan watched his son play the game he first introduced him to as a young boy. JaJuan wasn't loud or attention-seeking. He was simply there.

JaDonn was 5 years old when his father first signed him up for Pop Warner football. What began as a childhood introduction to the sport grew into something the two shared for years.

On Sundays, father and son would sit together watching football. JaJuan, an Arizona State graduate and electrical engineer, would rewind plays to explain what other players were doing and how JaDonn could apply those lessons to his own game.

After games, JaDonn often turned to his father with a question: “What do I have to do to get our team to win?”

Those conversations helped shape the way Johnson approached football. His father wasn't just teaching him how to play. He was teaching him how to think about the game and his responsibility to the people around him.

“Most of everything I do usually comes back to my dad,” JaDonn said.

That influence reached beyond football. JaJuan believed his son's education was just as important as his athletic development.

“My dad always made sure I stayed on top of my grades, so I have a future,” JaDonn said. “You never know when you have to leave this sport. So, you always want to make sure you have a backup plan.”

The lessons became especially important during a difficult time for the Johnson family.

JaDonn's grandmother, Olivia Yolanda, passed away from pancreatic cancer on Thanksgiving Day in 2024. She had lived with the family since before JaDonn was born and helped raise him while his mother, Claudia, worked.

A young JaDonn with his grandmother, Olivia, Aug. 5, 2017. (Photo courtesy of Natalie Tropet)

About a year later, JaJuan became seriously ill. He spent three weeks in the hospital in November 2025, returned home for about two weeks and then was hospitalized again for another three weeks. He passed away Dec. 22, during JaDonn's junior year.

For Claudia, getting through the family's losses has meant leaning on faith and focusing on how they respond to difficult circumstances.

“We will all have difficult things that can happen to us. The way you choose to deal with them is what makes a difference,” Claudia said. “We are not defined by our circumstances, but by the way we deal with our challenges. We do believe in God. I know He's been guiding us to get through it all.”

Through his father's illness and death, Johnson continued balancing school, football and family responsibilities.

Burwell, who has coached Johnson for three years, saw a young man who continued to show up for his teammates despite everything happening away from the field.

“He's one of the most special young men I've been around in this profession,” Burwell said. “I'm incredibly grateful that football brought our paths together.”

On the field, Johnson's contributions are not always measured in statistics. As a nose guard, he regularly faces double teams from opposing offensive linemen. His job is often to occupy blockers and create opportunities for his teammates, even when that means sacrificing the chance to make a play himself.

“That's not something every player is willing to do, but JaDonn embraced that role and took pride in it,” Burwell said.

JaJuan had instilled that sense of responsibility long before his death. According to Claudia, he repeatedly told his son, “It's your team. You need to be a leader.”

JaDonn (right) walks with his mother, Claudia, during senior night, surrounded by other supporters. (Preston Lewis photo/AZPreps365)

As a sophomore, JaDonn moved up to varsity and earned All-Phoenix Union Offensive Line honors. He received that recognition again as a junior, along with 5A Metro All-Region Offensive Line honors. The selections, voted on by opposing coaches, reflect the impact he has made along the offensive line.

Johnson's commitment to sports extends beyond the fall season. He is also a wrestler and track and field athlete, competing in the shot put, discus and javelin.

He started wrestling as a sophomore after a coach recommended the sport to help develop his football skills. Although he was initially reluctant, he eventually embraced it and qualified for the state tournament last year. Johnson said wrestling helped improve his footwork and hand technique.

His accomplishments in the classroom have been just as significant.

Johnson earned a 26 on the ACT, and his family later received a letter recognizing him among the top 10% of ACT scorers in Arizona. He has completed AP Calculus and taken two years of math courses through Maricopa County Community Colleges.

Claudia said she worried about how her son would perform on the ACT after his father's death just a few months earlier. But the result reflected the academic habits JaJuan had worked to instill throughout his son's childhood.

“First, you're a student, and then you're an athlete. That's why it's student-athlete,” Claudia recalled her husband telling JaDonn. “So, your grades have to be there, or I won't allow you to play.”

JaDonn is now considering Arizona State, where his father earned his degree, to study electrical engineering. It would follow a path his father took while putting into practice the importance he placed on having a future beyond football.

The family's connection to the team has continued, too. Claudia has long supported the players, preparing oranges, bananas and Gatorade for halftime. JaJuan used to bring the cooler into the locker room. This season, Claudia has continued the tradition, leaving the ice chest on the sideline.

Cirina Espinoza, the team's director of football operations, said Claudia's continued support has been meaningful to the players.

“Like JaDonn, she continued to care for us even when times were hard for her,” Espinoza said. “This season, she showed up for us a lot.”

Johnson has continued to earn recognition for his work on and off the field. He was recently named academic player of the week, an honor that reflected the reliability, consistency and hard work his teachers and coaches have seen from him.

As his high school career approaches its end, Johnson will finish with 30 varsity starts. He never missed a football game in four years. The number represents years of commitment to a sport that began with his father signing him up as a young boy.

“Don't let loss stop you,” JaDonn said. “No matter how hard it gets, there's always more to look forward to.”