He was likely the person most feared on the Philadelphia Eagles. At least by opposing quarterbacks.

Jim Johnson never put on a uniform. He didn’t throw a single pass. He never carried the ball. Not once. But he likely had as much to do with all those winning seasons, all those playoff appearances, that trip to the Super Bowl, as Andy Reid.

Johnson was the genius behind the Eagles’ swarming, blitzing defense. He lost his battle against melanoma Monday. He was just 68 years old.

During the 10 years that Johnson commanded the Eagles defense, they became one of the most feared units in the NFL. The Eagles made the playoffs seven of those 10 years. From 2000-2008 his defenses ranked second in the NFL in sacks. He sent 26 different players to the Pro Bowl.

He was Andy Reid’s security blanket. Andy worried about the offense; he always knew Johnson would take care of the other side of the ball.
Rarely did Johnson’s teams ever let him down.

The Eagles’ defense now must carry on under Sean McDermott without its architect, as well as its public face.

Brian Dawkins is now toiling in Denver. He remembered his old boss as a guy who was “tailor-made to coach in Philadelphia.”

Eagles fans love defense. It fits this town. Johnson was the latest in a long line of defense gurus who toiled here. Marion Campbell. Buddy Ryan.
Bud Carson. Jim Johnson.

Training camp no doubt will continue. The Eagles will go about their work. Sean McDermott will pick up the torch.

But make no mistake. Jim Johnson will not be replaced. He was that kind of person, on and off the field.

The Philly sports scene has been rocked by an especially tumultuous year. We lost our “voice,” Harry Kalas. The man many believed to be the heart and soul of the Eagles, Brian Dawkins, is now wearing orange in Denver.

And Jim Johnson won’t be plotting out intricate blitz packages to foil opponents on Sunday afternoons.

Johnson now gets to do something his defense never did.

Rest well, Jim.



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