Johnny Holland facts for kids

Johnny Ray Holland was born on March 11, 1965. He is an American football coach and a former player. He currently works as the linebackers coach for the San Francisco 49ers. This team is part of the National Football League (NFL).

Holland played as a linebacker for the Green Bay Packers from 1987 to 1993. He was later honored by being added to the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame. He also played college football for the Texas A&M Aggies. He was picked in the second round of the 1987 NFL draft. Johnny Holland even won a Super Bowl with the Packers! He is also in the Texas A&M Hall of Fame and the Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame.

Playing Football

High School Years

Johnny Holland went to Hempstead High School in Hempstead, Texas. While there, he was a great athlete. He earned a "letter" in many different sports. This means he was a top player on those teams.

He was named an All-State player in both football and basketball. At the same time, he was one of the top-10 students in his class. Johnny Holland is one of only three players from Hempstead High School to ever play in the NFL.

College Football

Before playing professionally, Holland played four years of college football. He played for Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. He was a starting player for three of those years.

He became Texas A&M's all-time leader in tackles. This record stood until 1998, when another player named Dat Nguyen broke it.

Playing in the NFL

The Green Bay Packers chose Johnny Holland in the second round of the 1987 NFL draft. He was a very strong player. For six years in a row, he made over 100 tackles each season for the Packers.

He stopped playing football after the 1993 season. In 2001, he was honored for his great career. He was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame.

Coaching Career

After his playing days, Johnny Holland started coaching in the NFL. He began with the Green Bay Packers. From 1995 to 1997, he was a defensive quality control coach. This job helps the team analyze how well their defense is playing.

In 1998, he became the special teams coach. Then, in 1999, he coached the linebackers. He helped the Packers reach the NFC Championship game two years in a row. He also helped them win the Super Bowl XXXI.

In 2000, Holland moved to the Seattle Seahawks. He worked as an assistant coach for special teams and strength training. In 2001 and 2002, he went back to coaching linebackers.

For the 2003 season, Holland joined the Detroit Lions. He was a defensive assistant coach from 2003 to 2004. In 2005, he coached the linebackers again.

In 2006, Holland returned to his home state of Texas. He became the linebackers coach for the Houston Texans. He coached there until 2011.

In 2012, Johnny Holland was hired by the Oakland Raiders. He coached their linebackers. He then joined the BC Lions in the Canadian Football League (CFL) in 2014. He coached linebackers for them too. In 2016, he returned to the NFL. He became the inside linebackers coach for the Cleveland Browns. He is now the linebackers coach for the San Francisco 49ers.

Family Life

Johnny Holland is married to Faith Holland. They have two children, a son named Jordan Holland and a daughter named Joli Holland.