Report: Johnson staying in Miami
Dolphins coach talked out of retirement by team officials
Posted: Thursday January 14, 1999 11:11 AM
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Jimmy Johnson led the Dolphins to a 10-6 record and a playoff berth this season AP |
ATLANTA (CNN/SI) -- Jimmy Johnson has apparently reversed field and
decided to stay on as head coach of the Miami Dolphins after
meeting with team owner Wayne Huizenga on Thursday morning, according to
broadcast reports.
On Wednesday night, all signs had pointed to a sudden resignation for
Johnson, with reports of a press conference and speculation in the state as
to who would succeed Johnson.
"Jimmy told me he was ready to retire and wanted to start enjoying
himself," the coach's father, C.W. Johnson, said Wednesday night from his
home in Port Arthur, Texas. "He said the season wore on him. I told him I
was glad and that was the best news I had heard in a long time."
The elder Johnson said his son told him "this is it for him in coaching.
He said he was going down to his place in the Florida Keys and work on his
house down there."
But according to ESPN, after meeting with team officials on Thursday
morning, Johnson apparently was convinced to stay with the Dolphins, who
made the playoffs as a wild card with a 10-6 record. Johnson has one year
remaining on a four-year contract he signed in 1996.
Miami quarterback Dan
Marino was called Wednesday night and told to attend a meeting at the
Dolphins' facility Thursday morning.
Johnson had given no indication to the organization that he was thinking
about or pondering such a move. He basically dropped the news like a
bombshell. Sports Illustrated senior writer Peter King reported
Wednesday that the death of Johnson's mother in December had a profound
effect on the coach, who told King recently that he was considering moving
his father to South Florida to help him cope with the loss of his wife.
Johnson also has grown frustrated with today's NFL players, telling
King that motivating players was an increasingly difficult task even using
all of his best techniques.
| Johnson's Record
|
| Year | Team | W | L |
T | Pct. |
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1996
1997
1998
1991
1992
1993
1997
1998
|
COLLEGE
Oklahoma St.
Oklahoma
St.
Oklahoma St.
Oklahoma St.
Oklahoma St.
Miami
Miami
Miami
Miami
Miami
Totals
NFL REGULAR SEASON
Dallas
Dallas
Dallas
Dallas
Dallas
Miami
Miami
Miami
Totals
NFL POST SEASON
Dallas
Dallas
Dallas
Miami
Miami
Totals
|
7
4
7
4
8
8
10
11
12
11
82
1
7
11
13
12
8
9
10
71
1
3
3
0
1
8
|
4
7
5
5
4
5
2
1
0
1
34
15
9
5
3
4
8
7
6
57
1
0
0
1
1
3
|
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
|
.636
.364
.583
.455
.667
.615
.833
.917
1.000
.917
.703
.063
.438
.688
.813
.750
.500
.563
.625
.555
.500
.000
1.000
.000
.500
.727
| | |
|
The Dolphins finished the regular season 10-6 and tied for second in the
AFC East. They lost to the Denver Broncos 38-3 last
Saturday in the second round of the playoffs.
Johnson's record with Miami was 27-21, including 1-2 in the playoffs.
Dolphins owner H. Wayne Huizenga, in California to complete the sale of
the Florida Marlins baseball team, rushed back Wednesday night, apparently
to meet with Johnson.
Before coming to Miami, Johnson coached the Dallas Cowboys to two
Super Bowl titles, in 1992 and '93. He also was head coach at the
University of Miami, winning the 1987 national championship.
After Johnson's third season with Miami ended Saturday with the dismal
defeat, he talked optimistically about next season, but he hasn't met with
the media since then.
Johnson, who led the Dallas Cowboys to two Super Bowl championships, was
hired by the Dolphins in January 1996 and said he would have the team in
the NFL title game in three years. But he won only one playoff game with
Miami.
Johnson's resignation would have meant 10 of the 31 teams, including
expansion Cleveland, had to look for a new coach since the season ended.
Johnson's team made steady progress after he replaced Don Shula. The
Dolphins went 8-8 in his first season, 9-7 in 1997 and 10-6 this season.
They made the playoffs in 1997 and earned their first playoff victory in
four years this season, beating the Buffalo Bills 24-17.
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