Jimmy Johnson Biography

James William Johnson, born on July 16, 1943, is an American former football coach and sports analyst. Johnson coached college football for a decade and led teams in the NFL for nine seasons. In 1989 Jimmy Johnson took over as head coach of the Cowboys after Tom Landry's tenure, leading efforts to restore the team's competitiveness. Johnson resumed his coaching career in 1996 as head coach for the Miami Dolphins, remaining in that role until his retirement following the 1999 season. Following his coaching career, Johnson served as a Fox Sports analyst and contributed to Fox NFL Sunday until concluding his role after the 2024 season. Jimmy Johnson played defensive lineman at the University of Arkansas from 1962 to 1964 and studied psychology with plans to become an industrial psychologist. In 1964 he earned All-Southwest Conference recognition while contributing to the Razorbacks' national championship victory.