Remembering NMSU legend Charley Johnson
LAS CRUCES, New Mexico - Arguably the greatest Aggie football player of all time and a member of the Ring of Honor, Charley Johnson, passed away at the age of 85 on Tuesday, September 3.
Johnson, a 1970 inductee into the US Bank/NM State Athletics Hall of Fame, led NM State during its greatest two-year stretch in program history as he was instrumental in guiding the Aggies to 19 wins across two seasons.
This stretch included back-to-back wins in the Sun Bowl where he was named the game’s MVP in both 1959 and 1960.
Johnson remains the only player in Sun Bowl history to win the MVP in consecutive seasons. Johnson, who donned No. 33, is also one of only two players at NM State to have his jersey retired.
In his first season with the Aggies, the native of Big Spring, Texas, finished the year as the NCAA’s leader in touchdown passes with 18 – a mark that was five better than any other quarterback in the country.
Across his career with the Aggies, Johnson completed 214 passes for 2,960 total yards and threw 31 touchdowns while maintaining a 53.8 completion percentage.
Following his time in the Crimson and White, Johnson was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals with the 109th pick in the 1960 NFL Draft before also being selected by the San Diego Chargers with the 64th pick in the 1961 AFL Draft.
After opting to play for the Cardinals, Johnson would serve as the team’s primary starter from 1962-66 and was named to the NFL Pro Bowl in 1963 after throwing for 3,280 passing yards and 28 passing touchdowns.
This would highlight a 15-year professional career in which he played with the Cardinals (1961-69), Houston Oilers (1970-71) and Denver Broncos (1972-75). His four-year stint with the Broncos earned him a spot in the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame (inducted in 1986). He ultimately played 165 games during his pro career and tallied 1,737 completions, 170 TDs and 24,410 passing yards.
Johnson is also a member of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame (inducted in 2010) and the New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame (inducted in 2008).
Johnson was also a part of NMSU’s Army ROTC and would later be called into active duty in 1967. He later worked for NASA as a second lieutenant in the United States Army Reserve for two years while still playing for the Cardinals.
Following his playing career and military service were over, Johnson would serve as the head of the chemical engineering department at NMSU, a position he held from 2000-04.
He would also briefly serve as the interim head coach of the NM State football team in the spring of 2010.
Johnson was a long-time supporter of Aggie Athletics and will always be remembered for his unwavering kindness and commitment to serving others.
