.jpg) Johnson playing for the Cowboys inSuper Bowl XII | |||||||||||||
| No. 86 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Wide receiver | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born | (1954-05-28)May 28, 1954 (age 71) Los Angeles, California, U.S. | ||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight | 187 lb (85 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school | Susan Miller Dorsey (Los Angeles, California) | ||||||||||||
| College | UC Riverside | ||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 1976: 3rd round, 87th overall pick | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
Michael McColly "Butch" Johnson (born May 28, 1954) is an American former professionalfootball player who was awide receiver in theNational Football League (NFL) for theDallas Cowboys andDenver Broncos. He playedcollege football for theUC Riverside Highlanders and was selected in the third round (87th overall) of the1976 NFL draft.
Johnson attendedDorsey High School where he practicedfootball andtrack. In 1972, he finished second-place in thepole vault event at the All-City meet.
He accepted an athletic scholarship from Division IIUniversity of California, Riverside as apole vaulter. In 1974, he was named to the second-team UPI Little All Coast Football team.
In 1975, he led the nation in receiving with 67 catches for 1,027 yards, in just eight games (he missed 2 contests with an injury), while earningAll-American honors. The school dropped thefootball program the year after he graduated. He finished his college career with 139receptions for 2,106 yards and 17touchdowns.
In 2012, he was inducted into the UCR Sports Hall of Fame. The next year, he was inducted into the Riverside Sport Hall of Fame.[1]
Johnson was selected by theDallas Cowboys in the 3rd round (87th overall) of the1976 NFL draft. In1978, he tied anNFL record with the most punt returns (9) in a game, while playing against theBuffalo Bills. He set a franchise record with 45 punt returns for 489 yards. He also returned 28 kickoffs for 693 yards (24.8-yard avg.).
In1977, he alternated withGolden Richards, recording 12 receptions for 135 yards (11.3-yard average) and onetouchdown. He also returned a club record 50 punts and led the team with 22 kickoff returns. At the end of the year inSuper Bowl XII against theDenver Broncos, he had his most notable career highlight, a 45-yard divingtouchdown reception fromRoger Staubach, which is considered to be a "Super Bowl Classic".[2] In theDallas Morning News newspaper, afterSuper Bowl XII, on Monday, January 16,1978, the front-page photo was titled "Outfielder Butch", referring to his diving touchdown grab in the end zone, despite a broken thumb he suffered earlier in the game.
In1978, although he couldn't earn a starting role overTony Hill, he became the leading punt returner in franchise history while breaking again his single-season record with 51 punt returns and also placed second on the Cowboys all-time kickoff return list. He had anothertouchdown reception inSuper Bowl XIII which the Cowboys lost to thePittsburgh Steelers, making him the second player in NFL history to scoretouchdowns in back-to-backSuper Bowls.
In1979, he fractured his right little finger in the preseason finale against the Steelers and was forced to miss the first 5 games. With both Hill andDrew Pearson having 1,000-yard seasons, his opportunities were limited. He started in the 15th game against thePhiladelphia Eagles in place of an injured Pearson, and caught a deflected 17-yard pass for the decisivetouchdown in the playoff-clinching victory. He also stopped returning punts and kickoffs.
In1981, he started the first 6 games in place of an injured Hill, finishing the season with 25 receptions for 552 yards and 5 receivingtouchdowns (tied for the team lead). He also developed atouchdown celebration known as the "California Quake", where he would simulate pulling guns out of holsters and proceed to shoot them and shake. It became one of the most famous individual celebrations in league history, and one of the reasons the NFL banned rehearsed end-zonetouchdown celebrations.[3]
In1983, he had his best year with 41 receptions for 561 yards, but he had grown tired of his third receiver status and requested a trade.[4][5] On April 12,1984, even though Pearson had suffered a career-ending injury, the Cowboys granted his wishes and traded him to theHouston Oilers in exchange forwide receiverMike Renfro, plus the right to swap second-round picks in the1984 NFL draft and the Oilers' fifth-rounder in the1985 NFL draft.[6] A year later, the Cowboys used that fifth round pick to selectrunning backHerschel Walker.
For a long time he was considered one of the best-backupwide receivers in the NFL,[7] but during his 8 seasons with the Cowboys he could never earn a starter position. As the third receiver during that time, he was primarily known for his acrobatic and clutch receptions. Besides leaving as the second leading punt returner in franchise history, he also was one of two players in club history to rank in the top ten career list in both kickoff and punt return average yards.
In1984, Johnson's outrageous personality and flamboyant on-field antics wore thin with theHouston Oilers very quickly, who after 3 deliberately poor played preseason games, traded him to theDenver Broncos in exchange of a third round draft choice (#58-Tyrone Davis) on August 20.[8]
In1984, he reunited with head coachDan Reeves who was his offensive coordinator with the Cowboys. He had career highs with 11 starts, 42 receptions (third on the team) for 587 yards (second on the team) and 6 receivingtouchdowns (second on the team). Against theNew England Patriots, he posted 9 receptions for 156 yards.
The next year, an injury slowed his performance and eventually lost his starting job toVance Johnson. He registered 8 starts, 19 receptions for 380 yards, a 20-yard average (led the team) and 3touchdowns, but went 6 weeks late in the season without a single catch. He was released on August 18,1986.[9]
Johnson played in theNFL for 10 seasons, catching 193 passes for 3,091 yards and 28touchdowns. He appeared in 5NFC Championship Games and 2Super Bowls. He also tied theSuper Bowl records for most fumble recoveries in one game and most career fumble recoveries (2).
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Won theSuper Bowl | |
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||
| 1976 | DAL | 14 | 2 | 5 | 84 | 16.8 | 43 | 2 |
| 1977 | DAL | 14 | 0 | 12 | 135 | 11.3 | 22 | 1 |
| 1978 | DAL | 16 | 0 | 12 | 155 | 12.9 | 23 | 0 |
| 1979 | DAL | 11 | 1 | 6 | 105 | 17.5 | 28 | 1 |
| 1980 | DAL | 16 | 1 | 19 | 263 | 13.8 | 29 | 4 |
| 1981 | DAL | 16 | 7 | 25 | 552 | 22.1 | 55 | 5 |
| 1982 | DAL | 9 | 1 | 12 | 269 | 22.4 | 49 | 3 |
| 1983 | DAL | 16 | 5 | 41 | 561 | 13.7 | 46 | 3 |
| 1984 | DEN | 16 | 11 | 42 | 587 | 14.0 | 49 | 6 |
| 1985 | DEN | 16 | 8 | 19 | 380 | 20.0 | 65 | 3 |
| 144 | 36 | 193 | 3,091 | 16.0 | 65 | 28 | ||
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||
| 1976 | DAL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 18 | 18.0 | 18 | 0 |
| 1977 | DAL | 3 | 1 | 2 | 53 | 26.5 | 45 | 1 |
| 1978 | DAL | 3 | 0 | 4 | 49 | 12.3 | 26 | 1 |
| 1979 | DAL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | 3 | 0 |
| 1980 | DAL | 3 | 1 | 4 | 82 | 20.5 | 35 | 1 |
| 1981 | DAL | 2 | 1 | 1 | 20 | 20.0 | 20 | 0 |
| 1982 | DAL | 3 | 0 | 9 | 149 | 16.6 | 26 | 1 |
| 1983 | DAL | 1 | 0 | 3 | 20 | 6.7 | 12 | 0 |
| 17 | 3 | 25 | 394 | 15.8 | 45 | 4 | ||
His brother in law was the late singer-songwriterBill Withers. Former Massachusetts SenatorEdward Brooke is his second cousin.