49ers legend Jimmy Johnson dies at 86; Hall of Fame corner spent all 16 NFL seasons in San Francisco

Jimmy Johnson, one of many most interesting San Francisco 49ers of all time and a member of the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame Class of 1994, has died on the age of 86. Johnson handed away on Wednesday night, in keeping with an announcement launched by the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame.

Earlier than the 49ers’ glory years of the Nineteen Eighties, Johnson emerged as not simply one in all San Francisco’s biggest gamers however one of many NFL’s finest defensive backs.

“Jimmy Johnson was terribly athletically gifted,” Corridor of Fame President Jim Porter stated in Thursday’s assertion. “The 49ers loved the luxurious of utilizing him on offense and protection early in his profession to fill crew wants. As soon as he settled in at left cornerback, he flourished. The notion {that a} ‘lockdown’ cornerback might minimize the sector in half for the opposition was true with Jimmy. Solely hardly ever would different groups’ quarterbacks even look his route, and most of the time regretted the choice in the event that they challenged him.”

In a adorned, 16-season profession performed solely with the 49ers, Johnson lined up as a cornerback, vast receiver and security from 1961 by way of 1976, amassing 5 Professional Bowl choices, three first-team All-Professional nods and a spot on the Corridor of Fame’s All-Decade Crew of the Nineteen Seventies. His impression on the Niners is exemplified by his standing as one of many constitution members of the franchise’s personal Corridor of Fame, which opened in 2009. Additionally, his No. 37 has been completely retired by the crew since 1977.

Johnson racked up 47 profession interceptions in 213 video games, with 615 return yards. He additionally logged 40 receptions for 690 yards and 4 touchdowns in two seasons as a large receiver. When Johnson retired following the 1976 marketing campaign, no NFL participant had turned in additional seasons at defensive again than him. At the moment, Johnson’s 201 video games and 198 begins have been every essentially the most for a DB in league historical past.

His interceptions and INT return yards stay second in 49ers historical past, behind solely fellow Corridor of Famer Ronnie Lott (51 interceptions, 643 yards).

Born March 31, 1938, in Dallas, James Earl “Jimmy” Johnson performed school ball at UCLA. However Johnson wasn’t only a soccer standout for the Bruins — he was additionally distinctive on the monitor, although not fairly nearly as good as his brother. Johnson received All-American honors and an NCAA 100-meter championship, whereas his brother, Rafer, garnered a gold medal within the decathlon on the 1960 Summer season Olympics.

Taken sixth total by San Francisco within the 1961 NFL Draft, Johnson made an instantaneous impression for the 49ers, grabbing 5 interceptions in 12 video games (10 begins). He then performed flanker all through the 1962 marketing campaign, hauling in 34 receptions for 627 yards (18.4 yards per catch) and 4 touchdowns. Johnson belonged within the defensive backfield, although, taking part in security in 1963 earlier than returning to cornerback full time in 1964.

From 1969 by way of 1972, Johnson went to 4 consecutive Professional Bowls and was a first-team All-Professional during the last three years of that stretch. Johnson’s All-Professional run paralleled the 49ers’ biggest success throughout his profession, as head coach Dick Nolan’s squads received three straight NFC West titles to start the Nineteen Seventies. Sadly for Johnson, these have been the one seasons of his profession that included playoff berths (all of them ending with losses to the Dallas Cowboys).

San Francisco did publish a profitable report (8-6) in Johnson’s ultimate season, with the cornerback snatching his final interception throughout a Week 3 win over a brand new franchise known as the Seattle Seahawks. Johnson was 38 years, 179 days previous on the time of his ultimate decide, turning into the oldest NFL participant at any place to report an interception on the time.

For 16 seasons, Johnson supplied the 49ers with constant greatness.