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Today in Patriots History
Daryl Johnson
Daryl Johnson
Happy 75th birthday to Daryl Johnson
Born August 11, 1946 in Richmond, Virginia
Patriot CB, 1968-1970; uniform #23
Pats 8th round (197th overall) selection of the 1968 draft, from Morgan State
Daryl Johnson started all 42 games for the Patriots in his first three years with the Pats. He had five interceptions, two fumble recoveries, one touchdown and one safety. However he missed the entire 1971 season on injured reserve due to a severely broken ankle, and was never quite the same after that. Although his playing time in New England was short, it was impactful enough that Johnson is a member of the Patriots All-Decade Team of the 1960s, in a defensive backfield with CB Chuck Shonta and safeties Ron Hall and Don Webb.
Johnson was waived on September 5, 1972 and claimed by Cincinnati. He re-signed with the Patriots in February of 1973, but was waived again at the start of training camp, on July 31, 1973. After another year of rehabbing the ankle, Johnson spent two years in the World Football League. He played for the Houston Texans in '74 and the Shreveport Steamer when the franchise moved in '75. Among Johnson's teammates were several other former Patriots: RB Jim Nance, QB Mike Taliaferro, QB Don Trull, DB Art McMahon, and former AFL all-stars Don Maynard and Willie Frazier.
Johnson went through all of high school and college with the teams he played on never losing a single game.
From the 1971 New England Patriots Media Guide, when Johnson was still just 24 years old:
One of pro football's most promising young cornerbacks . . . allowed only one reception in team's first five games last season . . . has been a starter since his '68 rookie year . . . often rhymes a prediction on how he feels he will fare in a given game . . . one of Pats' most colorful performers . . . exceptional jumping ability . . . strong on sweeps run in his direction . . . beginning his fourth season . . . quarterbacked Morgan State as a senior . . . has previously been running back, receiver, defensive back in college . . . Morgan never lost a game in Daryl's three varsity seasons . . . his high school, Maggie Walker High of Richmond, Virginia also never lost when Morgan played there . . . when drafted he was tabbed one of the most underrated selections in the draft . . . now an off-season Ivy Clothing Shoppe executive in Belmont . . . also hosts a radio talk show . . . seldom at a loss for words.
Some more, from the 1972 Media Guide:
Coming back after a year's absence due to ankle injury . . . rated as extremely promising cornerback . . . was starter since his rookie year of '68 when he was eighth round draft choice . . . very strong versus running game . . . challenges all receivers . All-everything at Morgan State where he played quarterback and defensive back . . . team never lost in his three years . . . NCAA small college player of the year . . . threw five TD passes in a game three times.
Daryl Johnson was a quarterback in college; here he is handing off in a 1966 game for Morgan State
Daryl Johnson (2008) - Hall of Fame - Morgan State University Athletics
Daryl Johnson, Class: 1967 Induction: 2008 Sport(s): Football - Daryl E. Johnson is a native of Richmond, Virginia and graduated from Maggie L. Walker High School.
morganstatebears.com
Daryl E. Johnson is a native of Richmond, Virginia and graduated from Maggie L. Walker High School. He entered Morgan State University in 1964 and received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree. Mr. Johnson was a four year letterman in football playing on three undefeated Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Championship Football teams from 1965-1967, and was a two-year letterman in track and field.
Mr. Johnson acquired many honors during his amazing football career; however, he carved his own piece of Morgan athletic history as the starting quarterback during the 1966 and 1967 CIAA Championship football seasons. In 1966, Morgan State University became the first predominantly African-American team selected to play in the Tangerine Bowl (now the Citrus Bowl). Mr. Johnson led the Morgan Bears on one of the biggest stages the University had been on to a historic 14-6 win over West Chester (Pa.) State. He ended the season being selected to the 1st Team Maryland All-State Team as a Place Kicker and 1st Team All-CIAA.
During the 1967 season, Mr. Johnson led the Bears to their third consecutive CIAA Championship and undefeated seasons. He set a school record by becoming the first quarterback to pass for over 1,000 yards in single season, completing 54 percent of his passes for 1,050 yards. His senior year performance was so outstanding that he was selected 1st Team Maryland All-State Team as quarterback, 1st Team All-CIAA Quarterback and 1st Team Pittsburg Courier Black All-American Defensive Back. Mr. Johnson also received the prestigious Pigskin Club of Washington D.C. Award for NCAA Small College Player of the Year. Mr. Johnson finished his career leading Morgan to the longest winning streak in college football at the time, 26 games. The Morgan football team only lost one game during Mr. Johnson’s four year career.
Mr. Johnson was drafted in the eighth-round in 1968 by the Boston Patriots and played from 1968-1971, becoming a starter in his rookie season. He was selected to the Patriots’ All-Star 1960-1969 Team by Patriots’ fans. Mr. Johnson also played in the World Football League with the Houston Texans/Shreveport Steamer teams.
After his professional football career, Mr. Johnson achieved additional success in the corporate world as a stockbroker, small business owner and small business liaison. He currently resides in West Newbury, Massachusetts, where he is a self-employed sports consultant to professional, college and high school athletes and is a Master Mason of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons of Massachusetts.
January 9, 2015:
Catching Up With … Ex-Morgan State QB Daryl Johnson, who played for Patriots
Sometimes, looking back, Daryl Johnson wonders if it truly happened. Did he really lead Morgan State’s football team to two undefeated seasons and then play in the pros for the Patriots? R…
www.baltimoresun.com
Sometimes, looking back, Daryl Johnson wonders if it truly happened. Did he really lead Morgan State's football team to two undefeated seasons and then play in the pros for the Patriots?
"It's a life you dream about as a kid. Then, while you're living it, you can't believe it," said Johnson, 68, of Haverhill, Mass. "And now, while watching the Ravens play New England [Saturday], I'll be thinking, 'Was that actually me out there years ago?' "
A 5-foot-10, 175-pound walk-on from Richmond, Va., Johnson played wide receiver and place kicker before moving to quarterback as a junior. Again the Bears went unbeaten, averaged 40 points and finished with a 14-6 victory over West Chester State (Pa.) in the Tangerine Bowl in Orlando. That game, in 1966, celebrated the first postseason win by a historically black college against a predominately white one.
"Back then, black college teams were considered a little better than high school," Johnson said. "But we thought we could play with anyone in the country, so we sure weren't going to let them [West Chester] beat us." . . .
Boston proved different. In Johnson's three years there, the Patriots won 10 of 42 games.
"At Morgan, I remember looking across the field and wondering how it felt to be losing, 40-0," he said. "I found out, playing for Boston."
Johnson tried to psyche up the Patriots. "I dyed my football shoes red, but the league wouldn't allow it," he said. And he shared poems with the media before each game, to wit:
"With [Miami receiver Paul] Warfield out there, we'll be under the gun,
But I still think I'm going to hold him to one."
After football, Johnson worked in auto sales, as a stockbroker and as an insurance claims adjuster before retiring. Married 30 years, he has two children, one grandchild and an interest in latch hooking (wall hangings made of acrylic yarns). A kidney ailment requires dialysis three times a week.
"I had about seven concussions in football, so I keep testing myself to see if I'm still sane," he said. "I come up with a 50-50 response because, honestly, you have to be crazy to play the game in the first place."
