Charley Johnson

#12 · Arizona Cardinals

Retired 15 Years In The NFL

🏆 Pro Bowl (1963)

Charley's

HAIR

17.9

HeyTC AI Rating

Questions about Charley Johnson or the Cardinals?

Charley Johnson Legacy

HEYTC AI

Charley Johnson was the rare quarterback who made you believe intelligence itself was a competitive advantage. While peers studied film, he earned a doctorate in chemical engineering—and somehow threw 170 touchdown passes anyway. At New Mexico State, he orchestrated an unbeaten 1960 season under Warren Woodson, then spent 15 NFL years proving a Border Conference kid could operate in any system. His 1973 Broncos team broke Denver's losing curse, a franchise-defining moment that earned him a place in their Ring of Honor. Johnson's real legacy transcended football: he returned to NMSU as department head, mentor, and philanthropist, embodying the notion that a quarterback's greatest throws often come off the field. He passed in September 2024, leaving behind a life that redefined what an athlete could become.

Charley Johnson passed away on September 3, 2024 at the age of 85.

Charley Johnson Rating Breakdown

Season

Average

Fantasy

Average

Playoffs

Non-Factor

Overall

NPC

9 years with the Cardinals

Charley Johnson Career Stats via Wikipedia

24,410 Pass Yards

170 Touchdowns

181 INTs

0.0% Comp %

17.9 HAIR

Frequently Asked Questions About Charley Johnson

How does Kyler Murray compare to Charley Johnson?

Kyler Murray's got the legs and arm talent to dazzle in today's spread offenses, but Charley Johnson's the gold standard for Cardinals QBs—24,410 yards, 170 TDs over 15 gritty seasons, leading St. Louis to 9-5 and 9-3-2 records in '63-'64 while earning a chemical engineering doctorate on the side. Murray's flash needs Johnson's pocket poise to match that staying power.

Is Charley Johnson in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

Nope, Charley Johnson never made it to Canton, despite 170 touchdown passes—that's more than Aikman, Staubach or Starr—and a Pro Bowl nod after topping the NFL in completions and yards in 1964. Hall voters overlooked his smarts and steady hand, but he's forever etched in Cardinals and Broncos lore.

How would Charley Johnson perform in today's NFL?

Charley Johnson would carve up modern defenses like a lab experiment gone right—his 7.46 yards per attempt in Denver screams efficiency, and today's pass-happy rules with no bump-and-run would let his pinpoint accuracy shine. Imagine him dissecting zones with that engineering brain; he'd post 4,000-yard seasons easy.

How does Charley Johnson compare to Jim Hart?

Jim Hart lapped Charley Johnson in the efficiency game—34.49 passer rating to Johnson's 17.93—but both owned the Cardinals pocket in the '60s. Johnson lit it up early with league-leading 3,045 yards in '64; Hart grinded longer. Two tough St. Louis signal-callers, but Hart's numbers won the long haul.