Dolphins Convince Johnson to Stay

The strength of Miami Dolphin Coach Jimmy Johnson has been convincing his players, who might not be as good as the opposition, that he can walk on water and lead them to the promised land.

But what happens when he begins to sink--his three-year plan for success fizzling, his mother dying, his father requiring chemotherapy for cancer, preparing a football team no longer so important?

He quits, and the news spreads quickly, as it did Wednesday night, ultimately premature, but only because those around Johnson did not have the opportunity to rally to his side.

Thursday morning they did, Dolphin quarterback Dan Marino and owner Wayne Huizenga leading the charge and providing the lifeboat that will keep Johnson on the job--the hiring of Dave Wannstedt to work as assistant head coach.

Wannstedt, maybe as close a friend as Johnson has, worked with Johnson as defensive coordinator at Oklahoma State, the University of Miami and with the Dallas Cowboys before being hired and fired recently as head coach of the Chicago Bears.

“His role will be expanded here,” Johnson said.

Unlike any other assistant head coach in the league, Wannstedt will not coach a position or be an offensive or defensive coordinator. Instead, he will free up Johnson, 55, for a better structured life.

“A month ago I started a very trying period,” Johnson said. “Mother passed away and we went through some times that opened up my eyes.

“There’s a time you pull back and you say, ‘Be with people you care about. Don’t shortchange them,’ ” he added, upset that he had arrived late for his mother’s funeral in late December. “That’s what I plan on doing.”

Johnson, in letting it be known he was quitting, also advised friends that he was going to marry his longtime companion, Rhonda Rookmaaker.

“I talked to Rhonda and she told me, ‘Just because you’re staying doesn’t get you off the hook. We’re still getting married.’ ”

Johnson, 27-21 since replacing Miami icon Don Shula, had promised to lead his team to the Miami-hosted Super Bowl on Jan. 31. But the Denver Broncos blasted his team in the playoffs a week ago, 38-3.

There has been some speculation that Johnson went to team management, asking to hire Wannstedt, and was rebuffed, quitting then in anger. Contradicting that, reports from Miami on Thursday had Huizenga suggesting that Johnson hire Wannstedt.

Whatever’s true, that’s a story for another day. For right now Johnson can only be taken at face value, seemingly overwhelmed by his own sense of mortality.

“In my early days, [coaching] cost me time with my two sons. It cost me a marriage,” he said. “And I could see some of these same things happening.”

With Wannstedt at work now, “There will be times I won’t be here 16 hours a day and then Dave will be head coach,” Johnson said.

While not working as many hours, Johnson said, his determination to take the Dolphins to the Super Bowl remains as strong as ever.

“My commitment and my resolve and my efforts are not diminished, not one bit,” said Johnson, who has two years remaining on his contract.

“If anything, with another person here that I care about, I feel even more responsibility to get the job done.

“I’m going to coach like the dickens to get us a championship.”

Asked when his tenure as Miami coach might come to an end, Johnson said:

“Who knows, you may be stuck with me forever.”