Jimmy Johnson HOF presenter has a Miami Football twist

The connection between former Dallas Cowboys and Miami football coach Jimmy Johnson and his quarterback with Dallas Troy Aikman includes a Hurricanes win at Oklahoma in 1985.

On Wednesday, former Dallas Cowboys and Miami Football coach Jimmy Johnson announced that his former quarterback in Dallas Troy Aikman will be his presenter for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio this summer. The Hurricanes ended Aikman’s career with the Sooners in 1985.

The 1985 game for the Miami football team at Oklahoma was the first of three straight seasons that the Hurricanes defeated a top three Sooners team. In 1985 Miami won 27-14 in Norman. The game featured pro-style QB Aikman running the wishbone for Johnson’s eventual Cowboys successor.

With Miami leading 14-7 in the second quarter, on a third and 10 at the Hurricanes 17 yardline Miami defensive tackle Jerome Brown broke through to sack Aikman on the 29-yardline. Aikman was 6-8 for 131 yards passing that point of the game, but he broke his ankle subsequently ending his Oklahoma career.

Aikman was replaced by true freshman Jamelle Holieway who was more suited to running the wishbone and despite the loss to Miami, Oklahoma won the National Championship in the Orange Bowl later that season. Aikman transferred to UCLA where he finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1988.

Ironically, Barry Sanders of Oklahoma State where Johnson coached before leaving for Miami won the iconic award. Johnson left Miami for Dallas after the 1988 season. Following 1-15 record in the last year under Hall of Fame coach Tom Landry, Johnson drafted Aikman with the first overall pick in the 1989 NFL Draft.

Four seasons later, Aikman and Johnson won their first Superbowl together. Dallas repeated in 1993 before Johnson and his Cowboys owner Jerry Jones could not work together anymore and Johnson and Jones parted ways. Switzer replaced Johnson and reunited with Aikman won the Superbowl following the 1995 season.

Following the end of their careers, Johnson and Aikman have been reunited at Fox Sports. Johnson is a studio analyst and Aikman is the top game analyst with Joe Buck. Johnson will join nine former Miami players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. That includes Michael Irvin and Cortez Kennedy who Johnson coached at Miami.

Johnson also coached Irvin with the Cowboys. The playmaker was drafted by Dallas during the last year of the Landry era in 1988 following the lone National Championship Miami won in 1987 during the five year Johnson era in Coral Gables.