Jim Johnson (American football)

Jim Johnson

Johnson at Eagles training camp in 2008
Position:	Defensive coordinator
Personal information
Date of birth:	(1941-05-26)May 26, 1941
Place of birth:	Maywood, Illinois, USA
Date of death:	July 28, 2009(2009-07-28) (aged 68)
Place of death:	University City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Career information
College:	Missouri
Undrafted:	1963
Career history
As player:
Buffalo Bills (1963–1964)
As coach:
Notre Dame (1977–1983) (Secondary Coach) (Defensive Coordinator) Oklahoma Outlaws (1984) (Defensive Coordinator) Jacksonville Bulls (1985) (Defensive Coordinator) St. Louis/Phoenix Cardinals (1986–1993) (Defensive Line Coach) (Secondary Coach) Indianapolis Colts (1994–1997) (Linebackers Coach) (1994–1995) (Defensive Coordinator) (1996–1997) Seattle Seahawks (1998) (Linebackers Coach) Philadelphia Eagles (1999–2008) (Defensive Coordinator)
Career highlights and awards
Eagles Hall of Fame inductee (2011)
Coaching stats at PFR

Jim Johnson (May 26, 1941 – July 28, 2009) was an American football coach, formerly serving as defensive coordinator with the Philadelphia Eagles. Widely regarded as one of the best defensive coordinators in the National Football League (NFL), he was especially known for being a master architect of blitzes, disguising them skillfully and keeping offenses constantly off balance.

In more than 40 years of coaching, Johnson held head coaching duties only once (at the collegiate level), but was interviewed by the Arizona Cardinals regarding their head coaching vacancy in 2004.

A native of Maywood, Illinois, Johnson played college football for head coach Dan Devine at the University of Missouri from 1959 to 1962. An all-Big Eight quarterback, Johnson played in the same backfield with long-time NFL executive Bill Tobin. He went undrafted in the 1963 NFL Draft, but was signed to play tight end by the Buffalo Bills of the AFL (1963–64).

Johnson began his coaching career as head coach at Missouri Southern (1967–68), before serving four-year tenures at Drake University (1969–72) and Indiana University (1973–76). In 1977, Johnson was hired by his former head coach at Missouri, Dan Devine, as defensive backs coach at University of Notre Dame. After helping the 1977 Fighting Irish to win the national championship in his first year, Johnson was later promoted to defensive coordinator and assistant head coach under Gerry Faust.