Who is Jimmy Johnson? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Also Known As: James William Johnson

Age: 80 Years, 80 Year Old Males

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Linda Kay Cooper, Rhonda Rookmaaker

Coaches American Men

U.S. State: Texas

More Facts

awards: Best Coach/Manager ESPY Award - 1994
NFL Honors - AP Coach of the Year - 1990

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Childhood & Early Life

Johnson was born on July 16, 1943 in Port Arthur, Texas and studied at ‘Thomas Jefferson High School’ with a strong interest in football.

While attending the ‘University of Arkansas’, he played for the ‘Arkansas Razorbacks’ football team as a lineman. Many of his teammates went on to carve a niche for themselves in the professional football arena.

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Career

In 1965, Johnson started his coaching career as an assistant coach at ‘Louisiana Tech University’. The next year he took up the same position at ‘Picayune Memorial High School’ in Picayune, Mississippi.

From 1967-1970 he was assistant coach at several universities like ‘Wichita State University’ and ‘Iowa State University’.

He took up the position of defensive coordinator in 1973 when he returned to Arkansas and continued in this position for the next three years.

In 1977 he joined ‘University of Pittsburgh’ as assistant head coach and defensive coordinator. He continued in this position for another year coaching Randy Holloway, David Logan and Al Chesley.

He took up the position of head coach at ‘Oklahoma State University’ in 1979 and coached here for next five years. Then he donned the cap of a head coach at the ‘University of Miami’.

Johnson took up an offer by Jerry Jones to become head coach of the National Football League's ‘Dallas Cowboys’ and continued there from 1989 -93.

After a fallout with Jerry Jones, owner of ‘Dallas Cowboys’ and Johnson’s teammate from the ‘Arkansas University’ team, he left the head coach position. The skilled coach then worked as a TV analyst for ‘Fox Sports’ for almost two years.

In 1996, he joined the ‘Miami Dolphins’ as head coach. However, he recorded lesser wins in the season and after three years he resigned from the post.

After retirement he again returned to ‘Fox Sports’ and is currently seen on ‘Fox NFL Sunday’. He has also made film and television appearances and was seen in the movie ‘The Waterboy’.

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He has also been seen in several infomercials and was seen in ‘BetterTrades’ in 2007. The former coach also had a working contract with the American consumer goods giant ‘Procter & Gamble’.

In 2010, he announced that he would be seen in commercials for the male enhancement pill ‘ExtenZe’.

Awards & Achievements

In 1990, he was the winner of the ‘NFL Coach of the Year Award’ from ‘Associated Press’.

He was the only ‘Super Bowl Winning Head Coach’ for two years consecutively for the Super Bowl XXVII and Super Bowl XXVIII held in the years 1993 and 1994 respectively.

In 1996, Johnson was inducted into the ‘University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame’ after a highly successful season.

In May 2012, he was inducted into the ‘College Football Hall of Fame’, which celebrated his career as a Football coach.

Personal Life & Legacy

On July 12, 1963, Johnson exchanged nuptial vows with Linda Kay Cooper and the couple has two sons.

However, the marriage of Johnson and Linda culminated in divorce, in January 1990.

In 1999, Johnson got married for the second time to Rhonda Rookmaaker and presently they reside in their abode at Islamorada, Florida.

Trivia

This famous American Football coach was a classmate of Janis Joplin and attended the same school with her

Jimmy Johnson Biography