John Henry Johnson

John Henry Johnson
No. 35     
Fullback
Personal information
Date of birth: November 24, 1929(1929-11-24)
Waterproof, Louisiana
Date of death: June 3, 2011(2011-06-03)
Tracy, California
Career information
College: Arizona State
NFL Draft: 1953 / Round: 2 / Pick: 18
Debuted in 1954 for the San Francisco 49ers
Last played in 1966 for the Houston Oilers
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Stats at NFL.com
Pro Football Hall of Fame

John Henry Johnson (November 24, 1929 – June 3, 2011)[1] was an American football fullback. He played from 1954 to 1965 for the San Francisco 49ers, the Detroit Lions, and the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. Outside of the NFL, Johnson also played one season with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League in 1953, and with the Houston Oilers of the American Football League in 1966.

Contents

College football

Prior to his professional career, he split his college career between Saint Mary's College of California and Arizona State University. He was also a member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity.

Professional career

He is best remembered for being a member of the 49ers famed "Million Dollar Backfield". Upon his retirement, John was ranked fourth on pro football's all-time rushing list, behind only Jim Brown, Jim Taylor and his fellow "Million Dollar Backfield" teammate, Joe Perry. He is also still currently ranked fourth on the all-time Steelers rushing list, behind only Franco Harris, Jerome Bettis, and Willie Parker. In 1987, he was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The 49ers "Million Dollar Backfield" is currently the only full-house backfield to have all four of its members enshrined in the Hall of Fame.

Death

On Friday, June 3, 2011, Johnson died in Tracy, California at the age of 81.[2] On June 9, 2011, it was announced that Johnson and his fellow "Million Dollar Backfield" teammate, Joe Perry, who died on April 25, 2011, would have their brains examined by researchers at Boston University who are studying head injuries in sports. Both men were suspected of suffering form Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a disorder linked to repeated brain trauma. According to his daughter, Johnson couldn't talk or swallow in the final year of his life and also was in a wheelchair. She told the San Francisco Chronicle that she hopes by donating her father's brain, it will "help with a cure."[3]

See also

References

  1. ^ Steve Corkran (June 3, 2011). "Former 49ers star John Henry Johnson dies". San Jose Mercury News. http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_18203169?source=rss&nclick_check=1. 
  2. ^ Richard Goldstein (June 5, 2011). "John Henry Johnson Dies at 81; Inspired Fear on the Field". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/06/sports/john-henry-johnson-dies-at-81-inspired-fear-on-the-field.html?_r=1&ref=deathsobituaries. 
  3. ^ "Researchers to study 49ers RBs". ESPN.com (ESPN). http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=6643720. Retrieved 2011-06-09. 

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Current league affiliations
Larry Csonka • Len Dawson • Joe Greene • John Henry Johnson • Jim Langer • Don Maynard • Gene Upshaw