Bill Johnson (center)
| Date of birth | September 14, 1926 |
|---|---|
| Place of birth | Tyler, Texas |
| Date of death | January 7, 2011 (aged 84) |
| Position(s) | Center |
| College | Stephen F. Austin State |
| NFL Draft | 1948 / Round 11 / Pick 289 |
| Pro Bowls | 2 |
| Stats | |
| Playing stats | Pro Football Reference |
| Playing stats | DatabaseFootball |
| Coaching stats | DatabaseFootball |
| Team(s) as a player | |
| 1948–1956 | San Francisco 49ers |
| Team(s) as a coach/administrator | |
| 1968-1975 1976–1978 |
Cincinnati Bengals (Offensive Line) Cincinnati Bengals (Head Coach) |
William Levi Johnson, Sr. (September 14, 1926 – January 7, 2011), known as Bill "Tiger" Johnson, was a professional football player and coach. He was born in Tyler, Texas, was a football star for Tyler Junior College, and graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University. [1] He played center for the San Francisco 49ers from 1948 to 1956.
During his 9 years in the NFL as a player, all of which were with the 49ers, Johnson blocked at the center position for what was known as the "Million Dollar Backfield" in San Francisco, which featured fullbacks John Henry Johnson and Joe Perry, halfback Hugh McElhenny, and quarterback Y.A. Tittle. Johnson was heralded as the star of the offensive line of the 49ers, who constantly beat teams due to their ability to control the ball and wear down opponents. Johnson earned two pro-bowl selections, and was also voted to be an All-Pro. He is one of the most distinguished NFL veterans to have ever not been elected into the NFL Hall of Fame.
He was a line coach for the Cincinnati Bengals in 1976, when Paul Brown retired as the team's head coach and named Tiger as his successor. Tiger won 18 and lost 15, but resigned five games into the 1978 season after starting 0–5. After his head coaching tenure, "Tiger" would go on to be an assistant coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1979-1982 and the Detroit Lions from 1983-1984. He would end his career by reuniting with the Bengals as an assistant in 1985. He retired as the Bengals tight ends coach in 1990.
He was the father of William R. Johnson, president, CEO and chairman of H. J. Heinz.
[edit] External links
- Bill Johnson statistics at Database Football.
- Bill Johnson football cards
[edit] References
- History – Cincinnati Bengals, Hickok Sports.
- Alumni Profile: William Johnson, McCombs School of Business web site.
- Michael Yeomans, "Son has divided loyalties", Pittsburgh Tribune Review.
- A Tiger Passes From the Jungle
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