James Earl Johnson (born March 31, 1938) is an American former professional football player and Olympic track athlete. Johnson was born in Dallas and raised in Kingsburg, California. He is the younger brother of Rafer Johnson, winner of the decathlon gold medal at the 1960 Summer Olympics. Johnson played college football and ran track at UCLA. He won the NCAA 110-meter hurdles championship and was named an All-American in track and field. Johnson was the sixth player selected in the 1961 NFL Draft and played for the San Francisco 49ers in the National Football League (NFL) from 1961 to 1976. He was selected four times as a first-team All-Pro and played in five Pro Bowls. His jersey (No. 37) was permanently retired by the 49ers in 1977. In 1980, he was named as a first-string cornerback on the NFL 1970s All-Decade Team, and in 1994 he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Early years Johnson was born in 1938 in Dallas. His family moved to central California when Johnson was a boy. He attended Kingsburg High School in Kingsburg in Fresno County. Johnson's older brother Rafer preceded him as a multi-sport star at Kingsburgh High School and UCLA, ultimately winning the gold medal in the decathlon at the 1960 Summer Olympics. UCLA Johnson attended UCLA and played for the UCLA Bruins football team as a wingback and defensive back. He totaled 812 yards from scrimmage in 1959 and 1960. Johnson also competed in track at UCLA, won the NCAA 110-meter hurdles championship, and was named an All-American in track and field. While a student at UCLA, Johnson joined Pi Lambda Phi Fraternity, where he is recognized as a prominent alumni brother. NFL career Johnson was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the first round (sixth overall pick) of the 1961 NFL Draft and by the San Diego Chargers in the fourth round (31st overall pick) of the 1961 AFL Draft. He signed with the 49ers in June 1961. As a rookie, Johnson appeared in 12 games for the 1961 49ers, played at the cornerback position, and intercepted five passes for a career-high 116 return yards. He became a wide receiver in 1962 and caught 34 passes for 626 yards and four touchdowns. His most productive game as a wide receiver came against the Detroit Lions, in which he caught 11 passes for 181 yards. Earlier that