Jimmy Johnson, two-time Super Bowl-winner, surprised on air with news of Hall of Fame induction
Former Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins coach and two-time Super Bowl-winner Jimmy Johnson on Sunday became the newest member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Johnson was surprised with the announcement during a live broadcast, similar to the way the news was broken to former Steelers coach Bill Cowher on Saturday.
During the halftime show of the NFC divisional playoff game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers, Hall of Fame President Dave Baker told an unsuspecting Johnson he had been inducted. Johnson struggled to keep his composure throughout the announcement.
"It's my great honor to tell you that you're going to be the 328th hall-of-famer," Baker said as the rest of the "Fox NFL Sunday" cast cheered for their colleague. "Your legacy is gonna be in Canton, Ohio, forever."
"The only thing I can think of is, all the assistant coaches that have worked for me, all the great players that have played for me, they're the reason I'm here. And they're the reason I can't talk," Johnson said, his voice cracking. "This is so special to me, because when you put in the work that we put in, it's nice to know people appreciate it."
Incredible moment.
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) January 13, 2020
Legendary @dallascowboys coach @JimmyJohnson finds out live on TV he is the newest member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame! pic.twitter.com/GK3jlSlWRz
Several times, the cameras cut to Fox color commentator and former Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman, himself a hall-of-famer, who was noticeably red-eyed and emotional. Aikman and Johnson won back-to-back Super Bowls together in the 1992 and 1993 NFL seasons.
Johnson joins Cowher as a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2020 Centennial Slate, a special group of 15 inductees to honor the NFL's 100th season.