EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — NMSU Aggie football player legend Charley Johnson died at the age of 85 on Tuesday, Sept. 3, according to a press release from NMSU.
NMSU says Johnson led NMSU during its “greatest two-year stretch in program history as he was instrumental in guiding the Aggies to 19 wins across two seasons. This stretch included back-to-back wins in the Sun Bowl where he was named the game’s MVP in both 1959 and 1960. Johnson remains the only player in Sun Bowl history to win the MVP in consecutive seasons. Johnson, who donned No. 33, is also one of only two players at NM State to have his jersey retired.”
Johnson was also inducted into the US Bank/NM State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1970 and was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals with the 109th pick in the 1960 NFL draft before being picked by the San Diego Chargers with the 64th pick in the 1961 AFL Draft.
“After opting to play for the Cardinals, Johnson would serve as the team’s primary starter from 1962-66 and was named to the NFL Pro Bowl in 1963 after throwing for 3,280 passing yards and 28 passing touchdowns. This would highlight a 15-year professional career in which he played with the Cardinals (1961-69), Houston Oilers (1970-71) and Denver Broncos (1972-75). His four-year stint with the Broncos earned him a spot in the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame (inducted in 1986). He ultimately played 165 games during his pro career and tallied 1,737 completions, 170 TDs and 24,410 passing yards,” NMSU said.
Johnson is also a member of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame as he was inducted in 2010 and he was also inducted into the New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame in 2008.
Johnson was also a part of NMSU’s Army ROTC and would later be called into active duty in 1967. He later worked for NASA as a second lieutenant in the United States Army Reserve for two years while still playing for the Cardinal, according to NMSU.
After his playing career and military service, Johnson served as the head of the chemical engineering department at NMSU from 2000 to 2004. He also briefly served as the interim head coach of the NMSU football team in the spring of 2010.
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