No, his first name is not really “Poop.” It’s Cory. That doesn’t take anything away from how this transaction was delivered, though:
Poop Johnson found his nickname—or more accurately, “Poop” found him—in 2014, when he was still playing college football for the Kentucky Wildcats. The defensive tackle was asked about his fluctuating weight, so he was honest about his bowel movements: “I try to poop, like, five times a day, three times a day, so it’s hard to keep weight when you got so much going out.”
Poop’s most notable highlight with the Wildcats might’ve been in 2015, when he scooped up a fumble and streaked down the field for 77 yards against Tennessee.
Johnson knows how silly his nickname is, but he doesn’t mind fans giving him crap for it. Last November, he told the Regina Leader-Post that the moniker actually helps him stay focused:
“It motivates me,” Johnson said. “If I play bad, then people are going to call me Poop for real.”