Seth Udinski, FISM News
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Former NFL wide receiver and Super Bowl champion Charles Johnson died Tuesday at the age of 50, according to multiple reports that surfaced Wednesday.
Gutted to hear of former Eagles WR Charles Johnson's death.
C.J. played nine NFL seasons and spent 1999 & 2000 with the Eagles. Great guy, tremendous personality, had been working as an assistant AD at a high school in North Carolina.
He was only 50.https://t.co/9cAErSxyqs
— Reuben Frank (@RoobNBCS) July 20, 2022
Reports indicate that Johnson’s cause of death is unknown at this time.
Johnson played nine seasons in the NFL, beginning with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1994. Though he was not the same stalwart pass catcher as other receivers of his era such as Michael Irvin and Herman Moore, Johnson was a dependable starter on a Steelers’ team that consistently contended for a title in the mid-1990s and went to Super Bowl XXX at the end of the 1995 season, losing to the Dallas Cowboys 27-17.
In 1996, he had his best season in the league, catching 60 passes for 1008 yards.
After the 1998 season, Johnson traveled across the state of Pennsylvania and signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. Though he only played with the Eagles for two seasons, he provided veteran stability at the wide receiver position for youngster Donovan McNabb and helped turn the team’s fortunes around under rookie head coach Andy Reid.
His most famous play in Philadelphia came several weeks into the 1999 season, when he caught the game-winning touchdown late in the 4th quarter to lead the Eagles to an upset 13-10 win over the hated Cowboys. This was their first win of the season and first against Dallas since 1997:
Charles Johnson
Wide Receiver
Philadelphia Eagles (1999-2000) pic.twitter.com/qzlacP9gBR— Random Philly Athletes (@philly_athletes) July 20, 2022
After the 2000 season, he signed with the New England Patriots, just in time to be part of the beginning of the greatest dynasty in NFL history. Johnson was on the 2001 team that won the first of six Super Bowls under head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady. He then left for Buffalo in 2002 and finished his career with the Bills after that season.
At the time of his death, Johnson was working as an assistant high school football coach at Heritage High School in South Carolina.
RIP Coach. You will be missed by so many, especially your Husky Family. #RIPCJ #HuskyFamily pic.twitter.com/JUfkjELMMB
— Heritage Huskies (@heritagehsfball) July 19, 2022