One would be hard pressed to find any flaws in Bob Johnson’s career as a student and as an athlete. A two-time consensus All-American, honor student, and member of the Quarter Century All-SEC team (1950-1974), Johnson arrived at UT in 1963 from Cleveland, Tennessee. As a Vol, he played for Coach Doug Dickey, whose teams compiled a record of 25-6-2 with Johnson at center. “It’s impossible for a boy to contribute more to a team than Johnson does,” said Dickey of the player who won the Jacobs Trophy in 1967, awarded to the league’s best blocker. “As captain he provides leadership both on and off the field.” After his senior year, Johnson was considered by many to be college football’s best lineman, and few were surprised when he was the first player chosen in the professional draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. For eleven years, he anchored the Bengals line and was named All-Pro on a regular basis. “It’s with Bob Johnson that we build our team,” said Bengals Coach Paul Brown. Splitting time between football, a growing family, a corporate vice-presidency, the American Cancer Society, and the Special Olympics, Bob finally hung up his cleats after the 1978 season and is now president of Imperial Adhesives and Chemicals, Inc. in Cincinnati, Ohio. Capping off a truly blessed career, Johnson had the prestigious honor of being named in 1997 to the GTE Academic All-America all-time Team.
