Top 10 players in Tennessee football history – No. 10
Any argument revolving around sports will eventually become a debate about who the best is. Whether that is at a certain position, team or time period, it is a debate without a definite answer. In this series, Adam Milliken provides his top 10.
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Bob Johnson
Center, 1965-67
Former Tennessee head coach Doug Dickey’s very first recruit, Bob Johnson, is one of the most decorated athletes in school history.
After spending his freshman season adjusting to the center position, Johnson went on to gain All-SEC and All-American honors in the following two seasons. His final season for the Vols was legendary. Not only was he an All-American, he won the Jacobs Trophy as the SEC’s best blocker.
He was also named an Academic All-American in 1967 and was the vice president of his class.
The most impressive of his accolades is the fact that he finished sixth in the Heisman voting in 1967, despite the fact that he played center, one of the most overlooked positions in the sport.
After having a stellar career for the Volunteers, Johnson became the first ever draft pick in Cincinnati Bengals franchise history. He was also the second-highest drafted center in NFL history. He was drafted No. 2 overall, long after Ki Aldrich and Chuck Bednarik were drafted No. 1 overall in 1939 and 1949 respectively.
Johnson played 12 seasons for the Bengals, serving as captain each year except his last. He wore No. 54, which was retired by the Bengals. It remains as the only number to have ever been retired by the organization.
In 1989, Johnson was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame, cementing his legacy as one of the best players ever.
Although he played in an era without much media attention and at a position without much spotlight, Johnson was able to force people to pay attention through excellence.
Featured image courtesy of Creative Commons
Edited by Cody McClure
Adam is the Assistant Sports Editor for the Tennessee Journalist and a Junior at UT. Most of his free time is spent watching sports, listening to good music, and enjoying life. If you wish to contact him, you can email him at amillike@vols.utk.edu, follow him on Twitter, @AdamMilliken14, or find him at https://www.linkedin.com/pub/adam-milliken/109/a89/a32.
