Convicted former NFL Running Back, LeShon Johnson, found guilty in a federal dogfighting investigation
LeShon Johnson, a former NFL running back who played for the Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals, and New York Giants in the 1990s, has been convicted on six federal felony counts for operating a large-scale dogfighting and trafficking operation in Oklahoma.
Known as Mal Kant Kennels, Johnson's operation bred and trafficked 190 pit bull-type dogs across multiple Oklahoma towns and the U.S., many labeled as "champions" or "grand champions" due to winning fights. This is the largest number of dogs ever seized from a single individual in a federal dogfighting case.
The operation was run under the guise of a legitimate kennel, but investigators uncovered equipment used to train dogs for fighting, including treadmills, bite sticks, steroids, and detailed records of fights and breeding activity.
Johnson profited financially by selling "stud rights" and offspring of fighting dogs that had won as many as five fights. The trafficking expanded the illegal dogfighting industry nationwide.
Investigators identified LeShon Johnson's dog-breeding operation as Mal Kant Kennels following a years-long investigation. They seized 190 dogs from Johnson's properties in Broken Arrow and Haskell, Okla. Many of the seized dogs were found to be injured or scarred.
Johnson had a prior state conviction for dogfighting in 2004, but he avoided prison time. However, this time around, he faces up to 5 years in prison and fines up to $250,000 per count for the six felony convictions. Sentencing is pending, and he was acquitted of 17 other related counts.
Regarding alleged NFL involvement, there are no credible reports or evidence linking Johnson's NFL career or the NFL organization to his dogfighting operation. The reports note his former NFL career only as background information, with no indication of NFL involvement in his criminal activities.
This summary is based on multiple news reports and the Department of Justice release from August 2025. Sales were conducted using Cash App, with some transactions involving out-of-state and international buyers. The operation primarily bred and sold pit bulls trained for fighting.
[1] Department of Justice, Press Release, "Former NFL Player LeShon Johnson Convicted of Operating Large-Scale Dogfighting Ring," August 2025, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/former-nfl-player-leshon-johnson-convicted-operating-large-scale-dogfighting-ring.
[2] Tulsa World, "Former NFL player LeShon Johnson convicted of operating dogfighting ring," August 2025, https://www.tulsaworld.com/news/crime/former-nfl-player-leshon-johnson-convicted-of-operating-dogfighting-ring/article_c2a547a2-f9b6-5350-89d3-72821b5d7d7a.html.
[3] ABC News, "Former NFL Player LeShon Johnson Convicted of Operating Dogfighting Ring," August 2025, https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/former-nfl-player-leshon-johnson-convicted-operating-dogfighting-79902393.
[4] ESPN, "Former NFL player LeShon Johnson convicted in dogfighting case," August 2025, https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/33868657/former-nfl-player-leshon-johnson-convicted-dogfighting-case.
[5] CBS News, "Former NFL player LeShon Johnson convicted of operating dogfighting ring," August 2025, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/former-nfl-player-leshon-johnson-convicted-of-operating-dogfighting-ring/.
- After a long career in the NFL, playing for teams like the Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals, and New York Giants, LeShon Johnson, a former player, was convicted on six federal felony counts for operating a large-scale dogfighting and trafficking operation in Oklahoma.
- In a case that involved 190 pit bull-type dogs, many labeled as "champions" or "grand champions" due to winning fights, Johnson's dog-breeding operation was uncovered and isolated as Mal Kant Kennels.
- Despite avoiding prison time for a prior state conviction for dogfighting in 2004, Johnson now faces up to 5 years in prison and fines up to $250,000 per count for the six felony convictions.
- The investigators found that Johnson profited financially by selling "stud rights" and offspring of fighting dogs, contributing to the expansion of the illegal dogfighting industry nationwide.
