Jimmy Johnson, the esteemed former NFL coach and longtime Fox Sports analyst, has announced his retirement from broadcasting after a distinguished 31-year career.
Highlights
- Jimmy Johnson, a former sports analyst and football coach, announced his retirement from sports broadcasting in March 2025.
- Jimmy Johnson has been married to his beloved wife, Rhonda Rookmaaker, since 1999.
- Jimmy was previously married to Linda Kay Cooper, whom he tied the wedding knot with in 1963, and they remained together until 1989.
Jimmy Johnson, 81, announced his retirement decision during an appearance on “The Herd with Colin Cowherd.” He expressed that he had been contemplating retirement for several years.
On his “The Herd” appearance on March 4, 2025, Jimmy mentioned,
I love working for Eric Shanks, out CEO, and Bill Richards, our producer. But I’ve made a extremely difficult decision, I’ve been thinking about it for last four, five years and I’ve decided to retire from Fox. I had been a great run starting back 31 years ago.
Jimmy Johnson
Jimmy Johnson has announced his retirement from NFL on FOX after 31 seasons.pic.twitter.com/zrIWcrDCu9
— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) March 3, 2025
After Jimmy’s coaching career, he joined Fox Sports in 1994 as a TV studio analyst for Fox Sports and Fox NFL Sunday. He held the position until his retirement following the 2024 season.
Many notable personalities have paid tribute to Johnson’s legacy in Fox Sports and congratulated him on his retirement.
On his X (formerly Twitter), Dallas Cowboys owner, president, and general manager Jerry Jones writes,
As one of the most gifted people I’ve ever been around, Jimmy has blazed a remarkable, unique trail that is now deeply embedded into football and broadcasting history. Congratulations on your incredible career Jimmy, and I wish you well in your fourth quarter my friend. You will always be a winner.
Jerry Jones
Furthermore, Jimmy’s social media platforms are full of congratulations and well wishes from fans and well-wishers for the upcoming days.
Along with his exponential career in football and broadcasting, netizens and his fans are often fascinated about his marital life and personal history.
Jimmy Johnson Has Been Married To Former Hairdresser Rhonda Rookmaaker Since 1999
Jimmy Johnson has been married to Rhonda Rookmaaker for over 25 years, since July 17, 1999.
The wedding occurred in a private ceremony at an oceanfront home in the Florida Keys.
It is Johnson’s second marriage to a former hairdresser, Rhonda. They tied the knot when the retired footballer was in his mid-fifties, and his second wife was in her mid-40s.
The couple first met in 1984, when Jimmy Johnson was coaching the University of Miami and Rhonda Rookmaaker was a hairdresser at a Coral Gables Salon near the University.
However, the couple remained platonic friends and went their separate ways until five years later, when Jimmy Johnson announced his divorce from his first wife.
After that, Rookmaaker moved to Dallas, and both returned to South Florida following Johnson’s 1994 departure from the Cowboys.
15 years after knowing each other, Jimmy and Rhonda became engaged in January 1998. After a year, Jimmy Johnson and Rhonda married on July 17, 1999.
Jimmy Johnson’s First Marriage Was With Linda Kay Cooper, With Whom He Had Two Sons
Before his marriage with Rhonda, Jimmy Johnson was married to his college sweetheart, Linda Kay Cooper.
The couple met at the University of Arkansas, where they both studied. Six months after meeting, the former lovers tied the knot on July 12, 1963.
However, after 26 years to their wedding, the couple went their separate ways. Copper and Johnson ended their things in January 1990.
Jimmy Johnson has no child with his second wife, Rhonda Rookmaaker. He had two sons with his former wife, Linda: Brent and Chad Johnson.
The couple welcomed thier first son, Brent, in 1964, while their youngest son, Chad, was born in 1967.
Moreover, Jimmy Johnson’s first wife, Linda Kay Cooper, is no more. She passed away on October 6, 2003, at the age of 61.
She had been a dedicated teacher not just in the USA but also in Venezuela. At the time of her demise, she had already retired and was living with her family in her home in Fayetteville.
Her online tribute wall mentioned that Linda remarried in 2000. She moved on and got married to Roger Kent Aronson.
Additional Information
- Jimmy Johnson’s elder son Brent Johnson is involved in fashion modeling, and his younger son Chad is chairman of Tranquil Shores Foundation.
- Jimmy Johnson’s wife, Rhonda Rookmaaker, was born in the United States on July 1, 1954.
- Jimmy Johnson owned Three Rings restaurant in Miami. Now, he owns JJ’s Big Chill, a bar and grill located in Key Largo, Florida.
