Johnson was born in 1956 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His father, Ernie Johnson Sr., was a Major League Baseball player who later became a television sports commentator. Johnson's family moved to Atlanta, Georgia, after his father retired from professional baseball in 1964, when Ernie was eight years old.
During college, Johnson got his first sportscasting job as the news and sports director for the radio station WAGQ-FM in Athens, Georgia.[3]
In 1979, Johnson was hired as a news anchor at WMAZ-TV in Macon, Georgia. He worked there until 1981, when he was hired as a news reporter at WSPA-TV in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Johnson worked in Atlanta at WSB-TV as a general assignment news reporter in 1982. He became the station's weekend sports anchor and reporter in 1983. He held those jobs until 1989, when he left to join Turner Sports.[3]
Known as "E.J.", Johnson works as the studio host for TNT's coverage of the NBA, including pregame and halftime shows, and the network's famous postgame studio show that airs after each NBA doubleheader, Inside the NBA. He has hosted the show since 1990.[6][7]
At the end of each broadcast, Ernie presents "E.J.'s Neat-O Stat of the Night", which has become a popular part of the show but is sponsored by no one, hence the sign that says "Your logo here". This changed in 2007 when vitaminwater sponsored the segment, replaced by Panasonic's Viera line of televisions in 2008. For the 2005–06 season, his segments were sponsored by Intel Centrino and Suzuki. In the 2008 NBA Playoffs, his segments were presented by Geico and vitaminwater.
Johnson also hosts Tuesday Fan Night on sister station NBA TV, alongside Webber and Greg Anthony. He also hosts and moderates NBA TV's Open Court, a basketball-panel show featuring Johnson and a rotation of six panelists (all of whom are TNT NBA analysts) discussing various topics, ranging from the history of the NBA to the current state of the league.
In addition to working basketball, Johnson is also the play-by-play announcer for TNT's PGA Tour coverage. At TBS, he worked as the studio host for its coverage of college football. In 2002, Johnson was co-winner of the Sports Emmy for Outstanding Sports Personality, Studio Host, tying with Bob Costas of NBC and HBO. It was the first time he had been nominated for a Sports Emmy. In 2006, Johnson won the award again, this time on his own, snapping Costas's six-year streak, including the year the two shared the honor. From 2007 to 2009, Johnson worked as the studio host alongside Cal Ripken Jr. for TBS's coverage of Major League Baseball. In 2010, he moved into a play-by-play role for the network, serving as the lead broadcaster for TBS's playoff coverage, including the 2010 ALCS. He also broadcast 40 Atlanta Braves games on sister channel Peachtree TV. In 2020, Johnson again became a studio host for the network's pregame and postgame show while continuing his play-by-play role for TBS's coverage of Major League Baseball.
In 2015, Johnson won his third Sports Emmy for Best Studio Host, and gave his award to the daughters of the late Stuart Scott, who died in January 2015.[9]
Johnson is also a sportscaster on NBA Live 98, and the NBA 2K franchise since 2014.[10]
Johnson and his wife, Cheryl, a licensed professional counselor, live in Braselton, Georgia. They have two biological children and four adopted children.[11]
Johnson is a devoted Atlanta Braves fan. Though he was born in Milwaukee, his family moved to the Atlanta area when he was nine, and he considers it his hometown. He attended high school at the Marist School in Brookhaven, Georgia.
On the November 10, 2016, edition of Inside the NBA, Johnson and co-hosts were discussing the 2016 U.S. presidential election and Donald Trump's upset over Hillary Clinton. While giving his remarks, Johnson talked about the build-up to Election Day, and how he would lean on his Christian faith and pray for the transition of power and for the division in the country. He also revealed that he wrote in his vote for Ohio governor John Kasich, who was one of the 17 Republican candidates and the last to suspend his campaign.
In April 2017, he released his memoir, Unscripted: The Unpredictable Moments That Make Life Extraordinary.[1]
Health
In 2003, Johnson was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, but continued his work through June 2006, when he began treatment. Due to his cancer, he missed TNT's coverage of the British Open and PGA Championship, the last two major golf tournaments of 2006. Johnson returned to Inside the NBA on October 31, 2006, while continuing chemotherapy.
On October 1, 2018, Johnson announced that he would not be a part of the 2018 MLB postseason on TBS after being diagnosed with blood clots in both of his legs, which affects his ability to travel by air.[13]