Charley Johnson, a legendary New Mexico State University (NM State) football player and Ring of Honor member, passed away at 85 on Tuesday, September 3. Johnson was a prominent figure in the university’s football history.
A native of Big Spring, Texas, Johnson played a crucial role in NM State’s most prosperous era. From 1959 to 1960, he led the Aggies to 19 wins, including back-to-back victories in the Sun Bowl, a record that remains unbeaten in the school’s history. Johnson is still the only Sun Bowl player to be honored as the Most Valuable Player in successive seasons.
In his inaugural season with the Aggies, Johnson led the country with 18 touchdown passes, which was at least five more than any other quarterback. Over his college career, he threw 31 touchdowns and completed 214 passes for 2,960 yards, maintaining a completion rate of 53.8%. He was inducted into the US Bank/NM State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1970 for his extraordinary performance, and his jersey number (33) is one of only two retired by NM State.
Following his college career, Johnson was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1960 NFL Draft and by the San Diego Chargers in the 1961 AFL Draft. He chose to play for the Cardinals, becoming their main starter from 1962 to 1966. In 1963, he was nominated for the NFL Pro Bowl after accumulating 3,280 yards and 28 touchdowns.
Johnson’s professional career spanned 15 years and included stints with the Cardinals (1961–1969), the Houston Oilers (1970–1971), and the Denver Broncos (1972–1975). While playing for the Broncos, he led the team to its first winning season in 1973 and was inducted into the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame in 1986. He retired with 1,737 completions, 24,410 passing yards, and 170 touchdowns in 165 games.
Off the field, Johnson was committed to his academics and community service. He earned bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in chemical engineering. During his professional career, he also served as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve and worked for NASA while on active duty from 1967 to 1969.
After retiring from football, Johnson returned to NM State, serving as the head of the chemical engineering department from 2000 to 2004. In 2010, he briefly took over as interim head coach for the Aggie football team. As a long-time supporter of Aggie Athletics, Johnson made significant contributions to various university programs, including the establishment of the Warren B. Woodson Endowed Fund for Athletics.
Johnson’s legacy was affirmed with induction into the New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame in 2008 and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 2010. His life and career exemplified excellence in athletics, academics, and community service.
Johnson and his late wife, Barbara, whom he met at NMSU, were married for 62 years and had two children and several grandchildren.
