Jimmy Johnson, a defensive back inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and a member of the 1970s All-Decade Team, passed away on Wednesday night at the age of 86.

Johnson passed away at home in the San Francisco area on Wednesday night following a protracted illness, according to his family.
The President of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Jim Porter, stated in a press statement,

“Jimmy Johnson possessed exceptional athletic ability. During his early career, the 49ers had the luxury of deploying him on offence and defence to meet team needs. He thrived after settling in at left cornerback. Jimmy proved that the theory that a “lockdown” cornerback might split the opposition’s field in half was accurate. If other teams’ quarterbacks confronted him, they would almost never even glance in his direction and would almost always regret their choice.

He spent his entire 16-year professional career with the San Francisco 49ers, where he was selected for three First-Team All-Pro teams and five Pro Bowls. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1994. When he retired, he had played in 213 games, more than any other 49ers player.

After being selected by the 49ers sixth overall in 1961 out of UCLA, Johnson was selected in the fourth round of the AFL draft by the Chargers, who had five interceptions in his first season.

In 1962, Johnson was a viable offensive force, hauling in 34 passes for 627 yards and four touchdowns.

He stayed there until the end of the 1976 season, when he retired, having intercepted 47 passes for touchdowns. The year after Johnson’s retirement, 1977, the 49ers retired his jersey.