Is Jimmy Johnson a Hall of Fame Coach?

Jimmy Johnson is one of the most successful coaches in NFL history, winning two Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys. But is he a Hall of Fame coach?

Jimmy Johnson’s NFL Career

Jimmy Johnson was born in 1943 in Port Arthur, Texas. He played football for the University of Arkansas and was later drafted by the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers. He was traded to the Dallas Cowboys in 1989, where he became head coach. Under his guidance, the Cowboys won two Super Bowls. Johnson retired from coaching in 1999.

Johnson’s coaching record

Jimmy Johnson’s time as an NFL head coach was relatively short, but immensely successful. He compiled a total record of 80-64 over his career, split evenly between his time with the Dallas Cowboys and the Miami Dolphins. This gives him a winning percentage of .556, which is good for 17th all-time among coaches with at least 100 games coached. He also won six division titles and two Super Bowls during his career.

Johnson’s Super Bowl wins

In only his second season as head coach, Johnson led the Cowboys to victory in Super Bowl XXVII, defeating the Buffalo Bills 52–17. It was the Cowboys’ third consecutive Super Bowl win, and fourth in five seasons. Two weeks later, in Super Bowl XXX, Dallas repeated as world champions, this time defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-17 to become only the second team in NFL history to win back-to-back Super Bowls twice (joining their division rival, the San Francisco 49ers).

Jimmy Johnson’s College Career

Jimmy Johnson’s college career began at the University of Arkansas where he was a two-time All-American defensive lineman. He then went on to coach at the University of Oklahoma and the University of Miami where he won a national championship. He returned to the University of Arkansas to coach their defensive line before becoming the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.

Johnson’s coaching record

Jimmy Johnson’s coaching record includes five seasons at Oklahoma State University and seventeen seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He won a national championship with the University of Miami in 1987, and three Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys.

Johnson’s National Championships

In college, Johnson played for the University of Arkansas, where he was a two-time All-American. He was part of Arkansas’ famed “Rules Committee”, which devised an aggressive defense that came to be known as the “Texas wishbone”. The wishbone was an integral part of Arkansas’ national championship teams in 1964 and 1965, and helped lead the team to an undefeated record in 1966.

Johnson began his coaching career at Louisiana Tech University in 1967, where he led the team to a 6-4 record. He then moved on to Oklahoma State University, where he served as defensive coordinator for two seasons. In 1970, he was hired as head coach of the University of Miami, where he compiled a 52-9 record over five seasons. His teams won consecutive national championships in 1987 and 1988, and Johnson was named “Coach of the Year” by various publications on multiple occasions.

Since retiring from coaching in 1993, Johnson has been inducted into both the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest coaches in college football history.

The Case for Jimmy Johnson’s Hall of Fame Induction

Jimmy Johnson is one of the most successful coaches in NFL history, winning two Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys. He also led the Miami Dolphins to a playoff appearance in his first season as head coach. Johnson’s resume is certainly impressive, but is it enough to get him into the Hall of Fame?

Johnson’s NFL Career

Jimmy Johnson’s NFL head coaching career began with the Dallas Cowboys in 1989. In his first season, Johnson led the team to a 1-15 record, the worst in franchise history. The following year, however, Johnson turned the Cowboys around, leading them to an 11-5 record and a berth in the NFC Championship Game. The Cowboys would go on to win Super Bowl XXVII over the Buffalo Bills by a score of 52-17.

In 1993, Johnson once again led the Cowboys to an NFC Championship, this time defeating the Green Bay Packers 27-17. The Cowboys would go on to win their second consecutive Super Bowl, this time defeating the AFC Champion Pittsburgh Steelers by a score of 30-13.

After winning back-to-back Super Bowls, Johnson announced his resignation as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys on March 28, 1994. In his four seasons with the team, Johnson had compiled a record of 44-36 (.550).

Johnson’s College Career

Jimmy Johnson’s college career began with him playing as a linebacker for the University of Arkansas from 1961 to 1964. He then became an assistant coach for the school from 1965 to 1967. In 1968, he moved to Louisiana State University (LSU) to serve as defensive line coach. He only stayed at LSU for one year before taking an assistant coaching position with the University of Oklahoma in 1969.

During his time with Oklahoma, Johnson became well-known for his recruitment of black athletes to the university. In 1971, he was promoted to defensive coordinator. He only held this position for one year before returning to Arkansas in 1972 to serve as head coach.

Johnson only stayed at Arkansas for two years before taking the same position at the University of Pittsburgh in 1974. During his tenure with Pittsburgh, Johnson led the team to an appearance in the 1976 Sugar Bowl. He left Pitt in 1977 to take on his most iconic coaching role with the Miami Hurricanes.

The Case Against Jimmy Johnson’s Hall of Fame Induction

Jimmy Johnson is often cited as one of the best coaches in NFL history, but is he really Hall of Fame worthy? There are some who argue that Johnson’s accomplishments are overblown and that he is not deserving of a spot in Canton. Let’s take a closer look at the case against Jimmy Johnson’s Hall of Fame induction.

Johnson’s NFL Career

Jimmy Johnson’s decorated NFL career began in 1989 when he was hired as the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. In his first season, the Cowboys finished 1-15, but by his fourth season, they had won their first Super Bowl under his leadership. The team would go on to win another Super Bowl the following year. In total, Johnson led the Cowboys to two Super Bowl victories in his five seasons as head coach. He then abruptly left the team in 1994 to take a head coaching position with the Miami Dolphins.

Although he only coached the Dolphins for four seasons, Johnson is credited with turning the team around and leading them to the playoffs twice. He left the Dolphins in 1999 to retire from coaching altogether. Jimmy Johnson’s NFL career ended with a record of 80-64-0, two Super Bowl wins, and five playoff appearances.

Johnson’s College Career

Jimmy Johnson’s college coaching career began in 1977 when he was hired as the defensive coordinator at the University of Oklahoma. He helped the Sooners win a national championship in 1985. In 1986, he was hired as the head coach of the University of Miami, where he won two more national championships, in 1987 and 1989. Johnson then left Miami to become the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, where he won two Super Bowls, in 1992 and 1993. After a short stint with the Miami Dolphins, Johnson retired from coaching in 1999.

Johnson’s overall record as a college head coach is 80-34-2. He has a winning percentage of .704, which ranks him sixth all-time among college football coaches with at least 10 years of experience. He is one of only six coaches to win multiple national championships at the Division I level.

Conclusion

After taking a look at Jimmy Johnson’s accomplishments, it’s safe to say that he is indeed a Hall of Fame coach. His three Super Bowl wins,two NCAA national championships, and numerous other achievements place him among the greatest coaches in NFL history. If you’re a fan of Jimmy Johnson or the Dallas Cowboys, then you should definitely check out his Hall of Fame page.