Jimmy Johnson is a former player, coach, and executive. Johnson attended college at the University of Arkansas and played on the football team, where he was an all-Southwest Conference defensive lineman. Also, Johnson was a teammate of future Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

He served as the head football coach at Oklahoma State University from 1979 to 1983 and the University of Miami from 1984 to 1988. Johnson then moved to the NFL, serving as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys from 1989 to 1993, winning two Super Bowls back to back with the team over the Buffalo Bills, and finally serving as head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 1996 to 1999. Johnson was the first of three football coaches to lead teams to both a major college football championship and a Super Bowl victory, the others being Barry Switzer and Pete Carroll.

As of 2016, he is an analyst for Fox NFL Sunday, the Fox network's NFL pregame show for the NFL games. On January 12, 2020, it was announced that he would be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Johnson and fellow coach-turned-analyst Bill Cowher are the only two coaches to be inducted for what is called the "Centennial Class", commemorating the NFL's 100th anniversary.