Former Georgia football star Andy Johnson has passed away at the age of 65.
Fox 5 Atlanta reported Wednesday morning that Johnson, who was an Athens native who played quarterback and running back, passed away after a “long illness.”
Johnson earned letters at UGA in football and baseball from 1971-73. He was selected by the New England Patriots in the fifth round of the 1974 NFL Draft, and went on to have a nine-year NFL career. From 1974-82, Johnson accumulated 3,914 yards from scrimmage (2,107 yards rushing, 1,807 yards receiving) for the Patriots.
During his time at Georgia, Johnson was known for his abilities as a running quarterback under the direction of former coach Vince Dooley. He was the quarterback of the 1971 Bulldogs team that went 11-1 and won the Gator Bowl.
Johnson was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame and the Athens Athletic Hall of Fame.
In memory of Johnson, enjoy this clip of a long run against Auburn in 1971:
Kind words and memories of the former UGA quarterback started rolling in on Twitter shortly after the news of his passing.