Billy "White Shoes" Johnson facts for kids
Johnson in 2021
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| Position: | Wide receiver, Return specialist |
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | January 27, 1952 Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 170 lb (77 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Chichester (Boothwyn, Pennsylvania) |
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| College: | Widener (1971–1973) | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1974 / Round: 15 / Pick: 365 | ||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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College Football Hall of Fame
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William Arthur Johnson (born January 27, 1952), known as Billy "White Shoes" Johnson, is a former American football player. He played as a wide receiver and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL) from 1974 to 1988. Billy Johnson is famous for being one of the first players to do exciting dances after scoring a touchdown. He was even chosen for the NFL's 75th and 100th Anniversary All-Time Teams!
Contents
Early Life and "White Shoes"
Billy Johnson got his famous nickname "White Shoes" in high school. He dyed his football shoes white as part of a dare. He went to Widener College in Pennsylvania. Even though he was smaller than many players at 5'9" and 170 pounds, he was a top college player. The Houston Oilers picked him in the 1974 NFL draft.
Playing in the NFL
Houston Oilers: The "Funky Chicken" Dancer
Billy Johnson started his NFL career with the Houston Oilers. He was amazing at returning kicks and punts. He was also known for his speed. As a rookie, he started a new trend: celebrating touchdowns! His dance was called the "Funky Chicken," inspired by a song. This was one of the first big touchdown celebrations in NFL history.
Johnson was a superstar returner. In his first four years, he scored five touchdowns from punt returns and two from kickoff returns. He also scored 12 more touchdowns as a receiver. He was so good that he was picked for the Pro Bowl in 1975. He even won the MVP award in that game after returning a punt 90 yards for a touchdown! He made another Pro Bowl in 1977. Later, an injury in 1979 made him miss a lot of playing time.
Moving to the CFL and Atlanta Falcons
In 1981, Johnson played in the Canadian Football League for the Montreal Alouettes. He caught many passes and returned many punts there. He then returned to the NFL in 1982 with the Atlanta Falcons.
In 1983, he had a fantastic year. He was a full-time kick returner and a starting wide receiver. He scored his sixth career punt return touchdown. He also led the Falcons in catches. This great season earned him his third Pro Bowl selection. A memorable moment was when he caught a "Hail Mary pass" to win a game against the San Francisco 49ers.
The NFL later made a rule against too much celebration. This meant Johnson had to stop his famous end-zone dances. He played for the Falcons until 1987 and briefly for the Washington Redskins in 1988 before retiring.
Life After Playing
Coaching Football
After his playing career, Billy Johnson became a football coach. He is an assistant varsity football coach at Duluth High School in Duluth, Georgia.
Honors and Awards
Billy Johnson has received many honors for his amazing career.
- In 1994, he was chosen for the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team as a punt returner.
- He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1996.
- In 2018, he joined the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame.
- He is one of only a few players to be selected for multiple NFL All-Decade teams (the 1970s and 1980s).
- On December 17, 2023, Billy Johnson was honored by being inducted into the Tennessee Titans Ring of Honor.
He is the only player from the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team who is not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
