Randy Johnson, First Falcons Quarterback
September 23rd, 2009 | Published in Player Deaths | 3 Comments
Randy Johnson, the first quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons, died on September 16. Along with Tommy Nobis, Johnson was a first round draft choice for the Falcons in 1966. Johnson played for five years with the Falcons, then went on to play for the Giants, Hawaiians (of the World Football League), Redskins, and Packers. In his last professional game, Johnson started for the Packers and led them to a win over his first team, the Falcons.
Pictured here is Johnson’s rookie card, a 1967 Philadelphia. You can see all of his cards in the Vintage Football Card Gallery.
September 24th, 2009 at 11:40 AM (#)
I remember Randy Johnson quarterbacking the final game of the 1976 NFL season for the Green Bay Packers. The QB that day for the Atlanta Falcons was Scott Hunter.
What was unusal about this game was that former Falcons QB Randy Johnson was starting for the Green Bay, and former Packers QB Scott Hunter was starting for Atlanta. The Packers won the game 24-20.
Randy Johnson had a great season in the World Football League with the Hawaiians in 1974, and his team was four points away from going to the first and only World Bowl championship game in the WFL. Too bad there are no football cards from the WFL although the Topps Chewing Gum Company did attempt to do this in 1974.
July 28th, 2010 at 4:59 PM (#)
I met Randy when I was 12 My father built his home in Canterbury Park and I had the privelage to not only cut his grass but watch him play football but also golf and Falcons basketball. He took me to Woodward School wher great Nfl Players took part in coaching youg boys, Tommy Nobis Bubba Smith Billy Lotheridge oh but a dream for a kid to be onthe field with such stars. When it was over and all the kids were gone I was riding with Randy and all these great players where running and working out this player runs up to Randy with a football we were standing on the 40yard line, he tells Randy hit me deep, he runs and Randy throws the ball 60 yards to the end zone but on the wrong shoulder,this player does a 360 and catchs the ball . Randy who was that? Randy says thats Dan Reeves of the Dallas Cowboys. God what a dream come true for me. Randy Johnson was always so kind and caring and alwys had time for even a 12 year old, and I will miss him and I am so sory I did not get to tell him goodby .GOD BLESS YOU RANDY JOHNSON
June 2nd, 2014 at 5:17 PM (#)
I had the pleasure of working with randy in the off season from 1970thru 1976. I was always amazed how calm cool and collected he was. no matter where we were. It came as a shock to me that acchol got the best of him, doing the time i spent with him he never would take a drink. I tried to locate him when i first heard of his problems. Great guy go
d bless