Why is Jimmy Johnson not in the Hall Of Fame?

[Gryphon]

INTERESTING QUESTION: Jimmy Johnson took over a run down franchise in 1989 and built it into a team that won 3 SB's over the next (7) seasons. Who else has had this type of coaching success?

Marv levy has 4 SB losses with 0 victories and he is in the HOF.

Bud Grant has 3 SB losses with 0 victories and he's in.

and on and on and on.

Do you think Jimmy just hasn't been out of the game long enough or could this be more of the same with the HOF and America's team?

[Sifillest]

i cant call it, i dont know for sure but theres a hell of a lot of folks waiting to get in the hall....so maybe jimmy just hasnt been brought up to cue yet...

[EndGame]

Dunno. His pro coaching career wasn't terribly long at all ... about 10 years. Marv Levy and Bud Grant both coached for a LONG time.

[Dallas31]

too short of a tenure and he pretty much stunk up the joint in Miami.

no chance at the hall of fame IMO.

[Erik_H]

too short of a tenure and he pretty much stunk up the joint in Miami.

no chance at the hall of fame IMO.

It's pretty unlikely I'd think...especially for those reasons.

This year was his first to be nominated. He did not make the cut.

[RoyWilliams]

Names reg. playoff sb
Don Shula 328 -156- 6 19-17 2
Joe Gibbs 139-76- 0 16-5 3
Bill Parcells 163-122-1 11-7 2
Chuck Noll 193-148-1 16-8 4


Jimmy Johnson 80-64-0 9-4 2
Bill Belichick 99-76-010 10-1 3
Bill Cowher 140-82-1 8- 9 0
Mike Ditka 121-95-0 6- 6 1
Mike Shanahan 121-74-0 7- 4 2
George Seifert 114-62-0 10-5 2

The biggest thing hurting Jimmy is the number of wins.

[fiveandcounting]

INTERESTING QUESTION: Jimmy Johnson took over a run down franchise in 1989 and built it into a team that won 3 SB's over the next (7) seasons. Who else has had this type of coaching success?

Marv levy has 4 SB losses with 0 victories and he is in the HOF.

Bud Grant has 3 SB losses with 0 victories and he's in.

and on and on and on.

Do you think Jimmy just hasn't been out of the game long enough or could this be more of the same with the HOF and America's team?

I suppose people secretly feel he is not done coaching and his day will come, he is young for getting inducted as a coach so theres no rush

[Maikeru-sama]

Unlike baskeball, the Pro Football Hall of Fame is extremely difficult to get inducted in.

Very high standards and as one person stated, there are probably more worthy candidates waiting in the Cue.

- Mike G.

[LaTunaNostra]

I don't think Jimmuh sucked in Miami. Not at all.

He built a D that kept the Phins competitive for close to a decade...look at the players he brought in, from Taylor to Thomas to Surtain.

Not hitting on a tailback did JJ in, geez, Avery, Collins, Phillips..that was Jimmuh's reverse 'serendipity' at work. And of course the Marino situation was problematic all along.

I think most AFC East fans have a great deal of respect for the Jimmy Jonnson era in Miami. I know I do.

[Maikeru-sama]

I also think he was kind of "held hostage" by Marino. Jimmy likes a strong running game and probably wanted to move Marino out and get a young QB in or one with more mobility.

Of course you dont replace Marino...

[conner01]

there will be no coach in the h.o.f. with 80 wins. if he wants in the h.o.f. he will have to come back and coach a few more years with some level of success. he has his trophies but he need 40 more wins in a short time

[Hailmary]

maybe this is motivation for his return?

Maybe he can slip into a situation where a coach is ready to step down that has a good young D already in place and a solid committee of RBs.

Anyone know of such a situation around the league?

[jterrell]

I don't think Jimmuh sucked in Miami. Not at all.

He built a D that kept the Phins competitive for close to a decade...look at the players he brought in, from Taylor to Thomas to Surtain.

Not hitting on a tailback did JJ in, geez, Avery, Collins, Phillips..that was Jimmuh's reverse 'serendipity' at work. And of course the Marino situation was problematic all along.

I think most AFC East fans have a great deal of respect for the Jimmy Jonnson era in Miami. I know I do.
Sucked is probably too strong but honestly the Phins were stagnated not better, not worse.

They won 8,9,10,9 games and went 2-3 in the playoffs including a really tough loss to end his career.

The Phins won 9 and 10 games in the years immediately prior to Johnson taking over and 11 wins each of the 2 seasons following his stepping down as head coach.

While he did add amazing defensive talent he struggled on the offensive side not ever adding the key offensive talent they needed to win in the playoffs.


IMHO Jimmy's own ego which led him to Miami instead of Tampa Bay is why he will miss the Hall of Fame. TB had better young talent, lesser expectations and more cap room.

[LaTunaNostra]

Sucked is probably too strong but honestly the Phins were stagnated not better, not worse.

They won 8,9,10,9 games and went 2-3 in the playoffs including a really tough loss to end his career.

The Phins won 9 and 10 games in the years immediately prior to Johnson taking over and 11 wins each of the 2 seasons following his stepping down as head coach.

While he did add amazing defensive talent he struggled on the offensive side not ever adding the key offensive talent they needed to win in the playoffs.


IMHO Jimmy's own ego which led him to Miami instead of Tampa Bay is why he will miss the Hall of Fame. TB had better young talent, lesser expectations and more cap room.

JT, those play off losses were brutal. The loss to Jax in particular was a slaughter.

But Jimmuh's Miami teams were playoff teams, and if not, were competitive to the wire of the regular season.

It's not something that can be easily 'proven' with stats, even wins-losses, but the last years of Shula that team was nowhere near as competitive as they were under Jimmy, and it was a long slow slide under Wanny even tho he reaped the benefit of the talent Jimmy brought in.

Shula's final years record might look pretty solid at first glance, but he was fattening up on the hapless Colts and Bills four time a year. I think in 97 and 98, those 10 and 8 win records brought the Phins only a tie for second place.

It was what was happening in the rest of the AFC East that led to bringing Jiimy in more than anything else..Tuna's quick work in NY and the remains of the Tuna installed competiveness in NE that Pete Carroll hadn't yet pissed away.

Trust me. :) The Phins were more to be feared under Jimmuh then in Shula's last years, or any under Wanny.

And now with Saba, they will be back.

[Hostile]

Out of curiosity how many coaches are in the Hall of fame who have 10 years or less experience, and less than 100 wins?

[Hailmary]

Out of curiosity how many coaches are in the Hall of fame who have 10 years or less experience, and less than 100 wins?

I think 4.

Guy Chamberlain: 58 wins / 4 titles 6yrs.
Vince Lombardi: 96 wins / 5 titles 10yrs.
Earle Neale: 63 wins / 2 titles 10yrs.
Bill Walsh: 92 wins / 3 titles 10yrs.

These are not including postseason victories...so then the answer would be 2.

Not sure how accurate these numbers are, someone may want to verify.

[Hailmary]

Also FWIW, Jimmy Conzelman and Ray Flaherty both have under 100wins, but have over 10yrs. experience.

[ravidubey]

Of course Jimmy is worthy, but he may not be a lock for the HOF because of his time spent coaching in the NFL. Jimmy never put his time in as an assistant coach. Vince Lombardi, Tom Landry, and Bill Walsh learned from guys like Paul Brown for years before becoming HC's themselves.

Each left a legacy of assistant coaches after becoming HC's. Jimmy's former assistants found HC jobs, but none have succeeded.

[conner01]

most of those guys came from an era were you did'nt have 16 game seasons too

[Way 'nuff]

Whats the deal about him coming back to coach your team? I've heard rumors.

And i dont think he coached long enough...certainly a great coach though.

[Hailmary]

most of those guys came from an era were you did'nt have 16 game seasons too

good point.

[mally]

Because he doesnt deserve it. The Franchise was made by a blockbuster trade with Herschel walker. He coached in this league for what ? Less than 10 years ? He flat out doesnt deserve it.



INTERESTING QUESTION: Jimmy Johnson took over a run down franchise in 1989 and built it into a team that won 3 SB's over the next (7) seasons. Who else has had this type of coaching success?

Marv levy has 4 SB losses with 0 victories and he is in the HOF.

Bud Grant has 3 SB losses with 0 victories and he's in.

and on and on and on.

Do you think Jimmy just hasn't been out of the game long enough or could this be more of the same with the HOF and America's team?

[Way 'nuff]

Because he doesnt deserve it. The Franchise was made by a blockbuster trade with Herschel walker. He coached in this league for what ? Less than 10 years ? He flat out doesnt deserve it.

I don't think you can hate on him for the Walker deal. Wasn't he in charge picking your trio of Aikman, Smith and Irvin?

If he stuck on for a few more years there's no doubt he'd deserve it.

[mally]

So youve just admitted he doesnt deserve it. Exactly my point.



I don't think you can hate on him for the Walker deal. Wasn't he in charge picking your trio of Aikman, Smith and Irvin?

If he stuck on for a few more years there's no doubt he'd deserve it.

[Way 'nuff]

So youve just admitted he doesnt deserve it. Exactly my point.

What I meant to say is that I think he still deserves some consideration.

I don't think he'd be a first ballot shoo in, but I think he'd get in eventually in a year where there isn't much else on the ballot.

[Chuck 54]

INTERESTING QUESTION: Jimmy Johnson took over a run down franchise in 1989 and built it into a team that won 3 SB's over the next (7) seasons. Who else has had this type of coaching success?

Marv levy has 4 SB losses with 0 victories and he is in the HOF.

Bud Grant has 3 SB losses with 0 victories and he's in.

and on and on and on.

Do you think Jimmy just hasn't been out of the game long enough or could this be more of the same with the HOF and America's team?
Jimmy Johnson doesn't deserve to be in the Hall of Fame, and he never will be. He coached two teams in the NFL, neither for a long time. He won 2 super bowls with Aikman, Smith, and Irvin, something Switzer did once himself. Does Jimmy deserve credit for the personel moves? Yes, although Irvin was drafted by Landry, Aikman was a no brainer, and Smith was an accident because he preferred Francis, the LB and had to later settle for Emmitt. The Cowboys defense never got over the hump or pressured the QB till Haley arrived, and the offense was a joke until Norv Turner arrived.

It was a glorious time to be a Cowboys fan, but Jimmy didn't hang around very long, and he was a total flop coaching in Miami.

Guys with his resume don't end up in the Hall of Fame where guys like Tom Landry, who molded a dynasty out of nothing and went to the playoffs 17 straight years, reside....guys like Landry changed the game with the Flex defense and intricate offense, etc....JImmy Johnson made no lasting contributions....Switzer proved that anyone could win a Super Bowl with the talent Jerry and Jimmy had on that team....I'd buy an argument for Jimmy Johnson as GM moreso than as a coach...but then he never held that title either.