Johnson dies on leave from Eagles
Posted: July 29, 2009 at 4:22 a.m.
PHILADELPHIA — Jim Johnson, whose attacking defenses helped the Philadelphia Eagles to one Super Bowl appearance and five NFC title games, has died. He was 68.
Johnson had taken a leave of absence from the team in May as he continued to battle a cancerous tumor on his spine. The Eagles announced his death Tuesday afternoon.
A veteran of 22 years as an NFL assistant, Johnson was considered one of the top defensive minds in the league, known for complex schemes that confused opponents and pressured the quarterback from every angle. His defenses consistently ranked among the best in the league, including last season, when the Eagles finished third in total defense and fell one victory short of the Super Bowl.
From 2000-2008, Johnson's Philadelphia defenses ranked second in the NFL in sacks (390). During his 10-year tenure, the Eagles made the playoffs seven times and he produced 26 Pro Bowl selections.
Johnson had been treated for melanoma in 2001.
In January, he complained of back pain and coached from the press box in the Eagles' playoff victory over the New York Giants and in the loss to the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC Championship Game.
A magnetic resonance imaging after the divisional playoff victory against the Giants on Jan. 11 alerted doctors that something might be wrong. Following the Arizona loss, the team announced the cancer had returned and Johnson would undergo more treatments.
Johnson had recovered sufficiently to coach during the team's first post-draft minicamp in May. But he coached from a motorized scooter during practices and said he wasn't certain he'd be able to return for the season.
Earlier this week, the team announced that Sean McDermott would replace Johnson, who had been Andy Reid's only defensive coordinator in his 10 seasons as Eagles head coach.
Sports, Pages 22 on 07/29/2009
(Advertisement)
« Previous Story
Jones expects team worthy of its extravagant ...
Jerry Jones believes the $1.15 billion stadium the Dallas Cowboys are moving into is "one of the greatest venues that sports has ever seen." He also believes this year's te... Read »
Next Story »
Major league baseball notes
CARDINALS Wellemeyer bumped ST. LOUIS - The St. Louis Cardinals are sending struggling Todd Wellemeyer to the bullpen. It did not come as a surprise to the right-hander, 7-... Read »
Comments
To report abuse or misuse of this area please hit the "Suggest Removal" link in the comment to alert our online managers. Please read our comment policy.
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Registration is required to make comments. Click here to LOGIN.
You can register for FREE to post comments and receive alerts.