Jimmy Johnson, a defensive back who was placed in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, was a member of the All-Decade Team of the 1970s, and was a multiple-time all-pro, passed away on May 8 at the age of 86.
The death was revealed by his family, but they did not disclose any other information.
In 1994, Mr. Johnson was elected into the Hall of Fame. He spent his whole 16-year professional career with San Francisco, where he began his career. At the time of his retirement, he had played in 213 games, which was more than any other player for the 49ers had ever done.
In 1961, the 49ers selected Mr. Johnson sixth overall out of UCLA. Before that, the Chargers of the American Football League (AFL) grabbed him in the fourth round of the selection for that league. Mr. Johnson became a starter almost immediately as a cornerback for the 49ers once he was selected. As a first-year player, he secured five interceptions.
The Niners utilized Mr. Johnson on offense in 1962, when he made 34 receptions for 627 yards and scored four touchdowns. However, he was so versatile that the Niners used him against the defense.
However, his strength was in preventing opponents from accumulating such statistics, and by 1964, Mr. Johnson had established himself as a regular fixture on the corner. During his time there, he accumulated 47 interceptions, returned two of them for touchdowns, and earned a reputation as a stingy cover player with a nose for the ball. He held that position until the end of the 1976 season, when he retired.
When Mr. Johnson was at the height of his abilities, opponents rarely tossed them his way. This was the stage at which it attained. Long before Prime Time made its debut in the National Football League, he was well known as Deion Sanders.