Carolina Panthers defensive end Charles Johnson has bought 60 tickets for his high school team to attend Sunday’s game against the Falcons. (Photo: Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports)

The Hawkinsville (Ga.) football team is returning to the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, this time at the request of former Hawkinsville star and current Carolina Panthers defensive end Charles Johnson.

Johnson will be providing about 60 tickets and a charter bus for the team to come see him and the Panthers face the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday in a battle for the NFC South title.

Hawkinsville won the Georgia Class A public school title on Dec. 12 with a 15-16 victory against Irwin County (Ocilla) for the school’s first state title since Johnson was a senior in 2004.

“I am so proud of my high school, Hawkinsville, for winning the Georgia state football championship,” said Johnson, a 2004 Hawkinsville graduate. “It is an honor to be able to treat the team to an NFL game and I’m looking forward to playing in front of my Red Devils.”

Johnson, who went on to attend the University of Georgia, has remained close to the community. He runs a free summer football camp annually that features some of his Panthers teammates.

Johnson also has been in a giving mood in other ways with his teammates. He also has changed his Twitter avatar to the Hawkinsville school logo.