Jimmy Johnson will soon be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, that’s not very surprising. But how the Super Bowl champ and Fox analyst found out about he was going to be a Hall of Famer, that was surprising.
Johnson was finishing the halftime segment with his co-hosts when Hall of Fame President David Baker showed up on set and informed the stunned former Cowboys coach of his selection.
What followed, was an unscripted and emotional moment that won’t soon be forgotten by those who saw it.
Not only was Johnson emotional, but his former quarterback and Fox color commentator Troy Aikman also teared up while looking on.
According to Pro Football Talk:
The Centennial Slate also includes 10 seniors (players who last played more than 25 seasons ago) and three contributors (an individual other than a player or coach). They were selected from a list of 38 finalists debated by a Centennial Blue-Ribbon Panel last Wednesday after a cutdown from nearly 300 nominees.
Johnson coached the Cowboys from 1989-1993 and the Dolphins from 1996-99. He went 89-68 overall record.
Johnson turned a Cowboys team that posted a 1-15 record in 1989 into a Super Bowl champion in 1992. Johnson led the Cowboys to three playoff appearances and two Super Bowl victories – Super Bowls XXVII and XXVIII – and led the Dolphins to three postseason appearances.
The Class of 2020 will have 20 members, with five modern-era members added the day before Super Bowl LIV in a meeting of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee.
Bill Cowher, the other coach named to the Centennial Class, found out about his nomination in similar fashion on Saturday.
Follow Dylan Gwinn on Twitter @themightygwinn
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.