Johnson earned the Pacific Coast Conference’s high-jump championship in 1959 with a showing of 24 feet, 9 ¾ inches. In 1960, he collected the Athletic Association of Western Universities (AAWU) high-hurdle crown with a run of 14.3 seconds. Johnson went on to add an NCAA title in the event that year, clocking a time of 14.0.
Johnson was a wingback, split end and defensive back for the UCLA football team from 1958-1961. He registered 39 carries for 290 yards (7.4 yards per carry) and hauled in 28 passes for 543 yards (19.4 yards per catch), scoring four touchdowns. Johnson also returned nine kickoffs for 230 yards (25.6 yards per return) and had an interception. He caught a 65-yard touchdown from Billy Kilmer against Utah in 1959 for the Bruins’ longest scoring strike of the campaign. The 1959 and 1961 teams won AAWU championships.
A first-round draft pick (sixth overall) of the National Football League’s (NFL) San Francisco 49ers in 1961, Johnson went on to play 16 years in the professional ranks. He eventually found a home on the defensive side of the ball, piling up 47 career interceptions. Regarded as one of the best man-to-man defenders in league history, Johnson was voted a member of the NFL’s All-Decade Team for the 1970s and received his yellow jacket as a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1994.
In addition to his prowess defending passes, Johnson also remained a threat receiving them. He caught 40 balls for 690 yards and four scores as a receiver for San Francisco. Johnson played in 213 games – more than any 49er at the time of his retirement. He was a four-time All-Pro and garnered five Pro Bowl selections.
Johnson came to UCLA from Santa Monica College (SMC), where he also shined on the basketball court. He was voted SMC’s Athlete of the Year for the 1957-58 academic year, during which he was tabbed All-Metropolitan Conference and posted a time of 14.3 seconds to lead all Southern California JC high hurdlers. Johnson hailed from Kingsburg, Calif. and prepped at Kingsburg High School, captaining the basketball, football and track and field squads.
Jimmy Johnson was the younger brother of UCLA Athletic Hall of Famer and track and field legend Rafer Johnson, who went on to win the 1960 Olympic decathlon championship before launching a number of humanitarian efforts. Jimmy Johnson’s niece, Jenny Johnson Jordan, is the current UCLA beach volleyball head coach. Johnson Jordan competed in the 2000 Olympic Games after standing out for the Bruins’ indoor team. Jimmy Johnson joined the UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame in 1994.
