30 Facts About Johnny Roland

Johnny Earl Roland was born on May 21,1943 and is an American former professional football player and coach in the National Football League.

Johnny Roland played as a running back for the St Louis Cardinals from 1966 to 1972 and the New York Giants in 1973.

Johnny Roland was the star running back of the first racially integrated high school team to win a Texas state football championship.

Johnny Roland was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1998.

Johnny Roland was born on May 21,1943, in Corpus Christi, Texas.

That season, Johnny Roland earned his first of three All-Big Eight Conference honors.

Johnny Roland was welcomed back to the team in 1964 and was moved to the defensive back position.

Johnny Roland led the team in punt and kickoff returns in 1964 and interceptions in 1965.

Johnny Roland had his jersey retired by Missouri and was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1998.

Johnny Roland was inducted into University of Missouri Hall of Fame in 1990.

Johnny Roland was drafted in the fourth round of the 1965 NFL draft by the St Louis Cardinals, and by the New York Jets in the 1965 AFL Draft.

Johnny Roland signed a three year, $400,000, contract with the Cardinals.

Johnny Roland was named UPI NFL Rookie of the Year in 1966.

Johnny Roland was selected to play in the Pro Bowl in 1966 and 1967.

Johnny Roland had 1,476 all-purpose yards in 1966, with six touchdowns.

Johnny Roland played for seven seasons with the Cardinals, and was the franchise's leading rusher when he left the team, and is fourth as of 2024.

Johnny Roland then went on to play for one season with the New York Giants in 1973.

Johnny Roland played in 103 NFL games, during which he rushed for 3,750 yards and 28 touchdowns on 1,015 attempts, caught 153 passes for 1,430 yards and six touchdowns, returned 49 punts for 452 yards with two touchdowns, returned 22 kickoffs for 444 yards, and completed five of 13 passes for 130 yards and one touchdown.

Johnny Roland then followed Devine to the University of Notre Dame, where he was an assistant coach in 1975.

Johnny Roland was hired by Chicago Bears head coach Mike Ditka in 1983 to help coach running back Walter Payton, who at the time stood 2,108 yards from Jim Brown's NFL rushing record; breaking the mark in 1984.

Johnny Roland coached Payton's successor Neal Anderson, whom Johnny Roland coached into the Bears' second all-time leading rusher.

Johnny Roland was the running backs coach for the New York Jets from 1993 to 1994.

Johnny Roland joined the St Louis Rams in 1995 and coached running back Jerome Bettis during Bettis' last year with the Rams before playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Johnny Roland started his second stint with Green Bay in 2004 as the coach for Ahman Green, who was the National Football Conference's leading rusher in 2003 and second all-time leading rusher in franchise history.

Johnny Roland coached in Green Bay for only one season before being hired by the New Orleans Saints.

Johnny Roland left the Packers because he reportedly had differences with head coach Mike Sherman and a league source reported the Packers had reservations about Roland's work ethic.

Johnny Roland was reportedly overjoyed to move on to a new position with the New Orleans Saints.

Johnny Roland joined the New Orleans Saints in 2005 under head coach Jim Haslett.

Johnny Roland owned part of a radio station, KIRL, in St Louis, until it filed for bankruptcy in 2004.

Johnny Roland was inducted into the St Louis Sports Hall of Fame in 2014.