Pro Football Hall of Famer Jimmy Johnson passed away on Wednesday at the age of 86.
A different Pro Football Hall of Famer, also named Jimmy Johnson, took to social media on Friday to let people know that he was “still kicking.”
News of the former San Francisco 49ers’ five-time Pro Bowler’s death spread on Thursday, and multiple news outlets used the other Jimmy Johnson’s picture with their stories.
Longtime sportswriter Larry Fitzgerald Sr. (father of 11-time Pro Bowl wideout Larry Fitzgerald) was among those fooled by the bizarre circumstances, as he tweeted, then deleted condolences.
The situation is similar to a late December occurrence when former Chicago White Sox legend and two-time AL MVP Frank Thomas responded to an erroneous Fox News segment that said he had died.
During an “in memoriam” segment on “The Faulkner Focus,” the former first baseman and designated hitter’s picture and highlights were displayed, indicating that he passed away in 2023 before a correction was issued afterward.
Instead of the 55-year-old Hall of Famer, it was actually longtime Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder/corner infielder and three-time All-Star Frank Thomas who passed away last January.
Ironically, like the 80-year-old Jimmy Johnson, the living Frank Thomas is a familiar face on Fox Sports.
Johnson was a two-time Super Bowl champion while coaching the Dallas Cowboys and has been an NFL studio analyst on Fox since the turn of the millennium.
The “Big Hurt” used to work for Fox Sports as well, serving as a studio analyst for “MLB on Fox” from 2014 to 2023 until he was replaced by fellow Hall of Famer Derek Jeter.
