UCLA Athletics Mourns Loss of Hall of Famer Jimmy Johnson

UCLA Athletic and Professional Soccer Corridor of Famer Jimmy Johnson handed away Wednesday on the age of 86. Johnson was a two-sport standout throughout his time in Westwood, starring as a excessive hurdler and lengthy jumper for the monitor and subject crew along with his time on the gridiron.

Johnson earned the Pacific Coast Convention’s high-jump championship in 1959 with a exhibiting of 24 ft, 9 ¾ inches. In 1960, he collected the Athletic Affiliation of Western Universities (AAWU) high-hurdle crown with a run of 14.3 seconds. Johnson went on so as to add an NCAA title within the occasion that yr, clocking a time of 14.0.

Johnson was a wingback, break up finish and defensive again for the UCLA soccer crew from 1958-1961. He registered 39 carries for 290 yards (7.4 yards per carry) and hauled in 28 passes for 543 yards (19.4 yards per catch), scoring 4 touchdowns. Johnson additionally returned 9 kickoffs for 230 yards (25.6 yards per return) and had an interception. He caught a 65-yard landing from Billy Kilmer in opposition to Utah in 1959 for the Bruins’ longest scoring strike of the marketing campaign. The 1959 and 1961 groups received AAWU championships.

A primary-round draft choose (sixth general) of the Nationwide Soccer League’s (NFL) San Francisco 49ers in 1961, Johnson went on to play 16 years within the skilled ranks. He finally discovered a house on the defensive facet of the ball, piling up 47 profession interceptions. Considered among the best man-to-man defenders in league historical past, Johnson was voted a member of the NFL’s All-Decade Group for the Nineteen Seventies and obtained his yellow jacket as a member of the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame in 1994.

Along with his prowess defending passes, Johnson additionally remained a menace receiving them. He caught 40 balls for 690 yards and 4 scores as a receiver for San Francisco. Johnson performed in 213 video games – greater than any 49er on the time of his retirement. He was a four-time All-Professional and garnered 5 Professional Bowl picks.

Johnson got here to UCLA from Santa Monica Faculty (SMC), the place he additionally shined on the basketball courtroom. He was voted SMC’s Athlete of the Yr for the 1957-58 educational yr, throughout which he was tabbed All-Metropolitan Convention and posted a time of 14.3 seconds to steer all Southern California JC excessive hurdlers. Johnson hailed from Kingsburg, Calif. and prepped at Kingsburg Excessive Faculty, captaining the basketball, soccer and monitor and subject squads.

Jimmy Johnson was the youthful brother of UCLA Athletic Corridor of Famer and monitor and subject legend Rafer Johnson, who went on to win the 1960 Olympic decathlon championship earlier than launching quite a lot of humanitarian efforts. Jimmy Johnson’s niece, Jenny Johnson Jordan, is the present UCLA seashore volleyball head coach. Johnson Jordan competed within the 2000 Olympic Video games after standing out for the Bruins’ indoor crew. Jimmy Johnson joined the UCLA Athletic Corridor of Fame in 1994.