Is former Miami Hurricanes Coach Jimmy Johnson nearing retirement?

In an appearance on the Joe Rose show on WQAM on Tuesday morning legendary Miami Hurricanes Coach Jimmy Johnson said he would like to retire after Super Bowl LIV is played at Hard Rock Stadium in February 2020.

Jimmy Johnson is a Miami Hurricanes legend. The Hurricanes were dominant during Johnson’s tenure from 1984-88. Miami was 52-9 in his five seasons as Head Coach. That includes 44-4 over the Final Four seasons. In Johnson’s middle three seasons Miami went into their bowl game with a chance to win the National Championship.

Miami won the 1987 National Championship under Johnson. They arguably should have won more. They dominated Penn State in the 1987 Fiesta Bowl.

Only a questionable fumble call against Miami fullback Cleveland Gary on a Saturday afternoon in South Bend, Indiana prevented the Hurricanes from playing in the 1989 Fiesta Bowl against West Virginia for the National Championship.

Johnson left Miami for the Dallas Cowboys after the 1988 season. He set up his successor Dennis Erickson to win two more National titles.

Johnson became the first Head Coach to win a College National Championship and Superbowl when the Cowboys defeated the Buffalo Bills to win Superbowl XXVI. Dallas repeated that title by defeating the Bills in SB XVII.

Johnson was fired by his teammate at Arkansas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones after the 1993 season. He took over the Miami Dolphins for the 1996 season.

Johnson led the Dolphins to a 36-28 record. He retired following the 1999 season after a 62-7 to Jacksonville in the second round of the playoffs. Johnson’s retirement coincided with Dan Marino’s.

Johnson was a relatively young 56 when he retired from coaching football. In his two years off of football before coaching the Dolphins, he was a member of the Fox NFL Sunday pregame show.

Johnson returned following his retirement and has been there since. He currently works with former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw, New York Giants defensive end Michael Strachan, Los Angeles and Oakland Raiders defensive end Howie Long and studio host Curt Menefee.

Johnson appeared on the Joe Rose show on WQAM on Tuesday morning. He was asked how much longer he would be working as a studio analyst.

"“I’ve been trying to retire for about five years. I’m going to be in a walker going out there. They keep telling me if you just do it another couple of years. We’ll let you leave. Pretty soon ill be a hologram out there.”"

Rose’s co-host Zack Krantz said that Johnson should “tell them to do the camera from the house.” Johnson discussed that possibility.

"“I did that the first couple of years and they didn’t like that. They want me on the set. Fox has got the Superbowl in Miami next year and my contract goes through then. I still love doing the show. Terry Bradshaw and I are still extremely close friends and we have an absolute ball.We have so much fun, we laugh and cut up. Strachan, I’d almost do the show for free. It’s the same thing with me. I don’t like the travel. One of these days i’ll say I’m going to be at the keys 100 percent of the time.”"

It’s interesting that Johnson mentioned Bradshaw and Strachan, but not Long. Bradshaw, Johnson and Long along with current CBS Studio host James Brown were the original studio hosts on Fox NFL Sunday when they got the rights to broadcast the NFL beginning in the 1994 season.

Fox NFL Sunday set a few precedents. The biggest one being that they became the first hour-long pregame show.