Gary Johnson received the nickname of “Big Hands” innocently enough. In eighth grade, Johnson grabbed a basketball in gym class, and the P.E. teacher yelled the following:
“Get your big hands off my basketball!”
Those meat hooks would be put to good use on the gridiron, first at Grambling, where he was a three-time Little All-American, and then for the San Diego Chargers, who drafted Johnson eighth overall in 1975.
An All-Rookie Selection, Johnson had his first double-digit sack year in 1977 (13.5). As the Chargers offense improved by a decade’s end under Don Coryell and Quarterback Dan Fouts, the defensive corps also shaped up, making the Bolts serious AFC contenders.
From 1979 to 1982, Johnson was named to the Pro Bowl, with First Team All-Pros coming his way in 1980 and 1981. Johnson led the NFL in Sacks in 1980 with 17.5, but the Chargers were unable to get over the hump, and he was able to join the mighty San Francisco 49ers and help them win Super Bowl XIX, where Johnson got three Sacks in that postseason.
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