Jimmy Johnson Stops Short of Retirement After Fox Sports Tribute

Jimmy Johnson isn’t quite ready to call it quits.

During its Super Bowl LIX pregame, Fox Sports aired a sentimental tribute to Johnson, featuring an AI-generated journey through the legendary former coach’s football career. It started with him as a player at the University of Arkansas, then up the assistant ranks before he became head coach at Oklahoma State, Miami, and eventually the Dallas Cowboys, where he won two Super Bowls. 

After the package aired, the 81-year-old Johnson was emotional. “I’ve got to thank my family for allowing me the time to accomplish some of those things. I was blessed to have great players, great assistant coaches, and great friends,” Johnson said, fighting back tears.

Terry Bradshaw chimed in, saying, “We love you buddy.” 

The scene felt like it was the precursor to a retirement announcement as the rest of the cast on Fox NFL Sunday, which has been the top-rated NFL pregame show for 31 years, continued to lavish praises on Johnson. 

“I can truly say because of my family, and because of y’all, I’ve never been happier [than] this time in my life,” Johnson said. 

However, when host Curt Menefee asked if that was “good-bye,” Johnson stopped just short. 

“One day at a time, Curt! One day at a time,” Johnson said.

The comments mirrored what Johnson answered when asked last week by Front Office Sports at Fox Sports’ media event prior to the Super Bowl in New Orleans how much time he thinks he has left with the network. “Oh, I really have no idea. Really, for the last five or six years at least, I’ve been going day by day rather than year by year,” Johnson said. 

Bradshaw took a little bit of a longer view on how much more he would like to be a part of the program. “I told my wife before I left the hotel room, I was sitting there, I said, ‘I’ve got two years left at Fox. I’m 76,’” Bradshaw said. “It’s a young man’s game. I get that. Everybody wants their new [people]. I said, if we can get to the next Super Bowl, I’ll be 80. I think that’s time. That’s pushing it.” 

Johnson, Bradshaw, and Howie Long were all part of Fox Sports’ inaugural season in 1994. Bradshaw and Long have been there consecutively ever since, while Johnson had a six-year hiatus from the show between 1996 and 2001.