Ron Johnson the NYG first 1,000 yard rusher has passed away

His soul. My favorite Giant growing up - I Still have his poster hanging in my house

"The Giants had only two winning seasons between 1964 and 1980. Both came when Johnson achieved rushing milestones for the franchise."

A wonderful player. RIP Ron Johnson.

His two 1,000-yard seasons in 1970 and 1972 also happened to the Giants only winning season during that bleak period.

Met he and his wife at a charity event back in the 70's. Nice people. RIP!

#30 Johnson runs behind interference: #63 Doug van Horn, #62 Dick Enderle, #69 Willie Young. #16 is QB Norm Snead. Giants vs Miami 12/10/72

Johnson scored his second 4th quarter TD in a 35-33 comeback win over Washington 11/15/70.

#38 Bob Tucker, #30 Ron Johnson, #77 Rich Buzin, #65 Pete Case (partially obscured), #18 Clifton McNeil, #53 Greg Larson, #63 Doug van Horn. Giants at St.Louis 12/13/70

the Giants ever made....for Homer Jones, who's knees were shot.....

I remember his first year, it was like, who the heck is this guy? We gave up Homer for who? Then I saw his stats his senior year at Michigan, averaging 140 yards and 2 tds per game....and had decent stats sharing RB duties with Leroy Kelly....

This was a guy with speed, could make guys miss, and was a real good receiver out of the backfield...He and Fran made Giant games fun to watch again...

I am feeling very old now.....RIP Mr. Johnson....

played 14 games.

in the trade with the Browns and he ended up being the main acquisition. When we had to suffer through RBs like Ernie Koy and Chuck Mercein and the like, it was like winning the lottery with this guy.

Were it not for injury, who knows what he could have accomplished. 1000 yards gained in 14 games is a rather solid achievement. 16 games? Not so much. Jimmy Brown did all his damage in JUST 12 games per year.

Loved watching the guy. RIP

maybe we can form a BBI old farts club?

In the Homer Jones trade

The Giants came into 1970 with a crowded backfield that had been lacking speed:

RB 1969 stats
Ernie Koy 76-300-2
Junior Coffey 82-343-1!(NYG/ATL)
Ron Johnson 138-472-7 (CLE)

FB 1969 stats
Tucker Frederickson 33-136-0
Bobby Duhon 101-362-3 (1968) (IR 1969)
Joe Morrison 107-387-4
Randy Minniear 35-141-1

needed to find enjoyment in individual players because the team was normally abysmal. Ron Johnson brought us some joy. RIP

I only had two NY Giants posters on my wall growing up, Johnson’s and Sipder Lockhart’s. Ron Johnson was my “Barkley” back then, one the talented guys I got most of my enjoyment from while watching the Giants too often lose. This one saddens me more than most.

Owned a chain of fast food place that his son now runs. I met him a few times and he was a nice guy. Alzheimer's sucks.

In comment 14171642 steve in ky said:

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I only had two NY Giants posters on my wall growing up, Johnson’s and Sipder Lockhart’s. Ron Johnson was my “Barkley” back then, one the talented guys I got most of my enjoyment from while watching the Giants too often lose. This one saddens me more than most.

I’d add Tarkenton and Bob Tucker to that (my) list

Absolutely my boyhood idol. Hence my handle. Makes me feel that much older.In those lean years there was always #30 to root for. He belongs in the Ring of Honor. Knee injuries derailed his career.

For Ron Johnson . Listening to Marty Glickman on the radio. RIP Ron Johnson .

In comment 14171652 Big Blue '56 said:

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In comment 14171642 steve in ky said: Quote: I only had two NY Giants posters on my wall growing up, Johnson’s and Sipder Lockhart’s. Ron Johnson was my “Barkley” back then, one the talented guys I got most of my enjoyment from while watching the Giants too often lose. This one saddens me more than most. I’d add Tarkenton and Bob Tucker to that (my) list

Yes absolutely and John Mendenhall also.

I remember a photo from 1972 in the Daily News. Ron Johnson and Bob Tucker were famous for pre game chess matches. The photo was of them concentrating on the chess game prior to kickoff. It was reprinted in a weekly paper some of you older guys would remember. Kyle Rote's JETS/GIANTS WEEKLY. I kept those for years in a box till they just fell apart.

"the hole pickin', dirt kickin' blur of Blue"

to those old enough to remember.

Fond memories of his playing days.

I loved to watch him run!

In comment 14171675 steve in ky said:

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In comment 14171652 Big Blue '56 said: Quote: In comment 14171642 steve in ky said: Quote: I only had two NY Giants posters on my wall growing up, Johnson’s and Sipder Lockhart’s. Ron Johnson was my “Barkley” back then, one the talented guys I got most of my enjoyment from while watching the Giants too often lose. This one saddens me more than most. I’d add Tarkenton and Bob Tucker to that (my) list Yes absolutely and John Mendenhall also.

Mendy, indeed

hope the team honors him somehow.

I was at that Redskin game in 1970 when they came back in the 4th quarter, that stadium was literally rocking! Watching baseball was never the same experience for me after that. He and Tucker Frederickson came to our town that winter and I got their autographs. They were both true gentlemen. RIP Mr. Johnson

and that he passed away so young.

What a great player he was. One of the few bright spots during our misery years.

Gman....rip

I met Ron Johnson who was coaching his daughter in various sports
He was a true gentleman that belied his competitive nature

A little known fact about Ron was he was a very good baseball player and his brother was the baseball player Alex Johnson who played for many teams including the Yankees

RIP

In comment 14171707 winoguy said:

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I was at that Redskin game in 1970 when they came back in the 4th quarter, that stadium was literally rocking!

M.S. posted this highlight video of that season a little while back.

Johnson's winning TD in that game is at 12:10. Look how close the fans are in the baseball box seats.

Other good Johnson highlights at 4:47 and 9:47.
30 - ( New Window )

RIP and thanks for a ray of sunshine during those dark years.

May he Rest In Peace.

Paul Warfield to Miami for their 1st round draft pick. For this reason, they were willing to part with RJ who was All American at Michigan and broke Tom Harmon's career rushing record. It was a great trade for us. I loved watching Johnson run and felt as if, finally, the Giants have a skilled player who is good as those on other teams.

In comment 14171731 shyster said:

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In comment 14171707 winoguy said: Quote: I was at that Redskin game in 1970 when they came back in the 4th quarter, that stadium was literally rocking! M.S. posted this highlight video of that season a little while back. Johnson's winning TD in that game is at 12:10. Look how close the fans are in the baseball box seats. Other good Johnson highlights at 4:47 and 9:47. 30 - ( New Window )

That video shows the bad call by the ref that cost the Giants a winning TD to Aaron Thomas in game 3 vs the Saints. If the Giants had won that game then the Ram loss a year end would not have cost them the playoffs.

He was my favorite, the dark years and he was the glimmer of hope...love those old black and whites at Yankee Stadium, my dad took me to all those games, and then we went out to dinner at Gallagher's Steak House and met Pete Gogolak, Kyle Rote,Marty Gickman....autographs Gallaghers menu to prove it...BTW......Sliced porterhouse $4.95 pp side of hash browns 45 cents.

In comment 14171717 Archer said:

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I met Ron Johnson who was coaching his daughter in various sports He was a true gentleman that belied his competitive nature A little known fact about Ron was he was a very good baseball player and his brother was the baseball player Alex Johnson who played for many teams including the Yankees RIP

Brother Alex Johnson was an AL Batting title Champion with the Angels in 1970 at .329. He also was one of my favorite Giants with Tucker Tarkenton Gregory Mendenhall Lockhart Jennings Van Pelt Carson and Willie Williams during the Dark Ages.

Tough son of a gun ..
Great photo True blue Larry end sweep
I could name the O-line by heart ..they became relevant
finally .

1970 was when I became aware enough to be a Giants fan. Loved Johnson, Spider, and Van Horn. Way too young

One of my favorite Giants from that era, him and Bob Tucker on the offensive side of the ball, along with Tark.

great Giant. A tough, hard nosed, runner with speed, good moves, and who was also an excellent receiver out of the backfield. As others have noted, he was someone to root for during the extremely bleak period between 1964 and 1980. Much too young. RIP. God bless. Prayers to his family and friends.

In comment 14171701 BigBlueCane said:

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hope the team honors him somehow.

You’ve been gone forever. How are you?

Remembering All-Pro running back Ron Johnson

“Ron Johnson was the first mentor I had on the New York Giants,” said former defensive end George Martin, a member ofthe franchise’s Ring of Honor who was a rookie in 1975,Johnson’s final season. “He led by example. He didn’t do it to impress any of us. That was just his character. He was a leader by nature. I looked up to Ron and I tried to emulate every fiber of his being because to me he not only walked the walk, but talked the talk.”

https://www.giants.com/news/remembering-giants-all-pro-running-back-ron-johnson

But when I was at Michigan he was pretty much the only one good on that team too.

remember you well, even though our teams sucked, A great player on team not so great. Good memories of those Sundays even if the football was not that good.

Might have been the best comeback I remember the Giants having.

He made being a Giants fan a little bit easier in the midst of some very lean years.

A shining light in a dark time for the Giants! One of my favorites!!

And a very underrated running back.

Rest in Peace, Ron.

On his td to help us beat Washington 35-30. What a comeback.

Giants teams that weren't so good. According to Wikipedia, he spent the last 10 years of his life suffering from Alzheimer's. May he rest in peace.

Ddin't love that 1970 team that almost made the playoffs? Tarkenton, Johnson, Tucker, Herman,Fredrickson,etc. RIP Ron Johnson. One of my old time favorites

Very sad news.

I remember being surprised that the Giants, who’d been around so long, had never had a 1000-yard rusher. My father explained that the Giants has traditionally been a passing team, built around passers like Y.A. Tittle and Chuckin’ Charlie Conerly. Just the fact he was the first made him my favorite. There have been better RBs since — Morris, Barber to name just two — but Johnson will always have a special place in this fan’s heart.

Don’t count carryovers from the 1960s like Frederickson and don't count
Csonka.

Can you name any others who weren’t JAGs?

He was at the same facility my grandfather is at. I very kind man. He was still a large man and I could imagine what it was like tackling him when he was in peak shape. Look out.

In comment 14171577 truebluelarry said:

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#30 Johnson runs behind interference: #63 Doug van Horn, #62 Dick Enderle, #69 Willie Young. #16 is QB Norm Snead. Giants vs Miami 12/10/72

Norm Snead ... There's a blast from the past. That's when I became Giant's fan. It had nothing to do with Snead but, he happened to be the QB at the time I started to take notice. Didn't he play for the Eagles also? I don't remember if it was before the Giants or after though?

RIP Mr. Johnson.

My earliest game watching was his great 1972 season. Great Giant and with Tucker one of the few bright spots in a troubled era.