The Broncos on Wednesday mourned the death of a Ring of Fame member.
Former Denver quarterback Charley Johnson died Tuesday at the age of 85, according to the Broncos and Johnson’s alma mater, New Mexico State University. A cause of death was not provided.
Johnson, a Big Spring, Texas native, played quarterback for the Broncos from 1972-75 and helped the franchise to its first winning season in 1973.
He began his professional career by playing nine years for the St. Louis Cardinals, then two for Houston before a trade to Denver ahead of the 1972 campaign. Johnson threw for 7,238 yards and 52 touchdowns during his time with the franchise.
He was inducted into the Broncos Ring of Fame in 1986.
Before Denver went 7-5-1 in 1973 under Johnson’s leadership, the franchise had three losing seasons in the NFL plus nine losing seasons and one 7-7 mark in a decade of AFL competition. Beginning with 1973, though, Denver had just three non-winning seasons over the next 17 years and broke through with its first Super Bowl appearance in 1977.
Johnson served in the NMSU ROTC and was called into active duty in 1967 in the midst of his pro football career. Later, he served in the U.S. Army reserves and worked for NASA as a second lieutenant while also playing for the Cardinals, according to NMSU.
After his football career, Johnson served as the head of NMSU’s chemical engineering department from 2000-04 and also served for a brief stint as the Aggies’ interim head football coach in 2010.
All told in his professional football career, Johnson played in 165 games, throwing for 24,410 yards and 170 touchdowns.
In addition to the Broncos Ring of Fame, Johnson is a member of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame and the New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame.
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