Ron Johnson (running back)

NFL player


Name=Ron Johnson
DateOfBirth=October 17, 1947
Birthplace= Detroit, Michigan
DateofDeath=
Position=Halfback
College=Michigan
DraftedYear=1969
DraftedRound=1
DraftedPick=20
Stats=Y
Jersey #= 30
DatabaseFootball=JOHNSRON01
PFR=JohnRo02
Career Highlights=Y
ProBowls=2
Records=NCAA single game rushing yards (1968-1971)
years=1969
1970-1975
teams=Cleveland Browns
New York Giants
CollegeHOF=60045

Ronald Johnson (born October 17, 1947 in Detroit, Michigan) is a former professional American football halfback. He played football at the University of Michigan and then with the Cleveland Browns and the New York Giants of the National Football League.

Johnson finished sixth in the 1968 Heisman Trophy voting. He was Michigan’s top student-athlete (1966-1968)where he received the Big 10 Medal (awarded to the most outstanding scholar-athlete in the school) and earned All-American honors his senior year at Michigan as a halfback. He also set the school record by rushing for 347 yards against Wisconsin in 1968, a record that still stands. In fact, Johnson still owns two of the top five single-game rushing performances in school history as follows:

[cite web|url=http://stats.ath.umich.edu/football/footstart.php|title=Michigan Football Statistic Archive Query Page|accessdate=2007-12-06|publisher=Regents of the University of Michigan|date=2003]

After graduating from Michigan with a Business degree, Johnson played for seven years (1969-1975) in the NFL as a first-round draft pick of the Cleveland Browns and as an MVP running back for the New York Giants. Ron rushed for 1,000 yards in 1970 and 1972, the first two 1,000-yard seasons in Giants history. Ironically those were the only 2 winning seasons the Giants had between 1964 and 1980.

In 2006, Johnson was named the chairman of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame, becoming the organization’s fifth chairman in 59 years. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1992.

Johnson is a graduate of Michigan's Ross School of Business (1969). His brother, Alex Johnson, was a professional baseball player.

Johnson is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, the first intercollegiate Greek-letter organization established for African Americans. [http://www.collegefootball.org/news.php?id=836]

ee also

* University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor
*Lists of Michigan Wolverines football rushing leaders
*History of the New York Giants (1925-1978)

References

External links

* [http://www.collegefootball.org/famersearch.php?id=60045 College Football Hall of Fame Biography]