Jimmy Johnson Talks To Joe
July 25th, 2017
Joe is cleaning out his voice recorder of past interviews as we inch towards the start of training camp. This morning, Joe brings you the words of perhaps the most underrated football coach in America.
Two-time Super Bowl champion and college championship coach Jimmy Johnson gave Joe a brief moment to chat Bucs earlier this year. It is mind-boggling to Joe how Johnson, who built the 1990s Cowboys dynasty from scratch, is not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. How Father Dungy got in before Johnson is one of the great mysteries of mankind.
Anyway, Johnson gave Joe a short breakdown on America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, as Johnson was racing between meetings, having finished one and running late for his next.
JoeBucsFan: I heard a story that you told a Bucs big-shot a year or so ago that to have success – this is your quote I heard you say to this source about Jameis Winston – “To win in the NFL you need a quarterback, you need a quarterback and you need a quarterback and you’ve got one.”
Jimmy Johnson: Oh, I like him! He’s a very talented individual. I think he is an outstanding leader. I think the biggest thing is, you’ve got to get the right supporting cast.
Joe: Is Jameis the type of quarterback you can build a lasting winner with?
Johnson: Exactly right!
Too bad Joe didn’t have a video camera to catch Johnson’s reaction — you know, TMZ style? — when Joe asked Johnson about Jameis. You should have seen his eyes light up. A hair or two seemed to come undone. That’s how excited Johnson got to talk about Jameis.
Sadly, Johnson was late for an appointment and Joe had to do a drive-by interview, keeping pace on foot with the interview subject as he scoots away.
Joe cannot stand the Cowboys. Never could. But damn, Johnson could sure coach and knew how to pick players.
Oh, yeah, the supporting cast? As a commenter on JoeBucsFan.com said this morning in an earlier post, tool cabinet is full.
July 25th, 2017 at 10:27 am
Nice Joe. Who better to ask about “America’s Quarterback”?
JJ truly helped build that Championship Cowboys team from absolute scratch.
1-15 to 3peat Super Bowl winners. The man knows talent when he sees it.
Winston is a “needle-mover” for sure – more worthy of your bestowed title than any other QB in the league. We’re about to see it on the field as well.
Big year for America’s Quarterback in 2017. Book it!
July 25th, 2017 at 10:35 am
Tom Flores should of got into the HOF before Dungy also. 1st Hispanic HC and 1st minority to win a SB. Then won a second one.
July 25th, 2017 at 10:38 am
AB-SO-LUTE-LY agree!
And he won two Super Bowls with Jim Plunkett at quarterback. Jim Plunkett!!!
July 25th, 2017 at 10:52 am
Jimmy’s not in the HOF? I had no clue. That’s a disgrace.
July 25th, 2017 at 10:53 am
I have been waving the Tom Flores flag for years. First minority to win a superbowl and has a winning record in the playoffs unlike dungy the clown. The legend of dungy surpassed his accomplishments long long ago.
July 25th, 2017 at 11:18 am
@Joe
It’s not an either/or between Dungy and Flores. They aren’t competing with each other because they’re both “minority” coaches. You should be naming almost any coach who has gotten in since Flores was eligible – not just the only black one.
Flores problem is that he ended his career with 5 straight non-winning seasons in a 12 year coaching career and finished with an all-time winning percentage of just .527. Over his last 3 years he was an abysmal 14-34. Not to mention – he took over a Raiders team that had been built into a super successful team by John Madden – Madden had a winning percentage of .759 with the Raiders before Flores took over. When Flores left the Raiders – he never had a winning season.
I’m not saying Flores wasn’t a good coach. He was. But the above is why he isn’t in the hall and it has nothing to do with Dungy.
By the way… Tony Dungy’s winning percentage was .668 over his career.
July 25th, 2017 at 11:23 am
To be honest, if a guy got in mainly because of his ethnic background, sort of think that is belittling both the man and the game. It sort of trivializes the accomplishment.
Tom Flores won two rings and as Joe pointed out, with Jim Plunkett at quarterback. If that isn’t Pro Football Hall of Fame credentials, Joe doesn’t know what is. No need to throw in other factors to elevate his status.
July 25th, 2017 at 11:26 am
You should check out his postseason winning percentage (gulp).
July 25th, 2017 at 12:01 pm
B!tch and moan all you want, but dungy is in point blank and he deserved it. I keep telling you folks that his impact is way bigger than just wins or loses. When that sinks into your skulls then maybe you will understand his significance.
July 25th, 2017 at 12:10 pm
I always LOVED Jimmy Johnson! He AND Flores should OBVIOUSLY be in the HOF …
July 25th, 2017 at 12:40 pm
Joe cannot stand the Dallas Cowboys, wow a man after my own heart.
July 25th, 2017 at 1:11 pm
@Joe
“How Father Dungy got in before Johnson is one of the great mysteries of mankind.”
Really? You’re not ignorant to the political realities of our modern society, I have a hard time believing this one.
July 25th, 2017 at 1:32 pm
Buc4Lyfe79:
Call Joe naive, but he holds the selectors of the Pro Football Hall of Fame (all but two, sports journalists) to a much higher standard than the Sean Hannitys and Rachel Maddows and Cowturds and screamin’ Stephen A. Smiths of the world.
Being journalists, in theory, they are supposed to take their craft seriously and set aside all pretenses and biases at the threshold door and focus solely on the facts.
Arguing Father Dungy belongs in the Hall of Fame is one thing. Putting in an inferior candidate before two candidates whose induction is long overdue is a slap in the face to thinking football fans if not a mockery of the entire process.
Who next, George Siefert? Don McCafferty? Chucky?
July 25th, 2017 at 2:55 pm
Will forever hate the cowboys. But will always have the utmost respect for JJ. As for his take on Fameis, like Sapp said the other day. Takes one to know one. Born Badd@$$.
July 25th, 2017 at 2:58 pm
See you nobody @$$ muthaf@$!s can come on here and talk that noise about the young man. But those titans of the game that actually make or made a living in the NFL clearly see Greatness in the making my G.
July 25th, 2017 at 3:16 pm
Jimmy not being. In the hall of fame is like led Zep not being in the rock and roll hof
In music terms tony is Elo
JJ is zep
July 25th, 2017 at 3:57 pm
Yup.
July 25th, 2017 at 4:05 pm
Where’s the love for Jim Plunkett?
Plunkett not only won 2 Rose Bowls and 2 Super Bowls, but he is the only Stanford qb to win the Heisman trophy
Not John Elway, not Andrew Luck
July 25th, 2017 at 4:21 pm
Plunkett only won 1 Rose Bowl, my mistake, but he did win player of year awards in college and was rookie of year with new england
July 25th, 2017 at 4:50 pm
Alan:
Let’s not get carried away. Jim Plunkett is a great story and was a good college quarterback but he was not a good quarterback in the NFL. Even he admitted the Raiders were his last chance and because he was a backup, damned near retired.
Plunkett was given up for dead and Al Davis tried his best to replace him with Marc Wilson, who was brittle. To Plunkett’s credit, he made the most of his situation and guided the team to two rings.
The fact Tom Flores won two Super Bowls with Jim Plunkett proves Flores is a Hall of Fame coach.
July 25th, 2017 at 5:24 pm
Joe,
Plunkett doesn’t have hall of fame numbers because he played on 2 terrible teams- Patriots and 49ers before Al Davis got him. Surrounded by good players, Plunkett was a winner and leader.
Not diminishing Flores role or contributions, but Plunkett was a leader- not unlike Bart Starr with Packers or Doug Williams with Bucs and Redskins
July 25th, 2017 at 10:31 pm
Plunkett to Vataha was a money hook up. Plunkett beat out Archie and Theismann in ’70 for the Heisman. Good guy.