Leaving behind something that you’ve dedicated over three decades to is never easy, as it becomes a part of you. That’s what FOX Sports meant to Jimmy Johnson. Yet, as with all good things, his broadcasting chapter, too, closed earlier this March. While bidding farewell, Johnson admitted, “I’m going to miss it.” However, it looks like retirement is treating him well. And no one appears happier to see the legendary coach enjoying his well-deserved leisure than Troy Aikman.

Besides the gridiron, the two-time Super Bowl champ’s passion has always been fishing. Some might say his fondness for fishing is more than football. After all, he declined a celebratory invitation to the White House to go fishing. “Thank you, Mr. President, but I can’t. I’m going fishing in the Keys,” he told former President Bill Clinton following the 1993 Super Bowl. So, of course, his retirement life has been all about fishing. 

He gave his fans a glimpse of how much he’s enjoying retirement from FOX on his social media. Sharing the perfect shot from his latest fishing trip with family, the 81-year-old proudly posed holding a Bonito and what appears to be a Mahi-Mahi. Among the many comments that flooded the post, his 1989 No. 1 pick sent a personal five-word message, writing, “Love seeing Chad w ya!”

The legendary Dallas Cowboys quarterback was talking about Jimmy’s son, Chad Johnson, posing with Bonito in the picture. Only those closest to Jimmy truly understand the hardship his son Chad endured during his 20-year struggle with alcohol addiction. That’s why Chad never sought the spotlight as the son of a legendary NFL coach. Instead, he turned his recovery into a source of strength by founding Tranquil Shores, a recovery center near St. Petersburg, dedicated to helping others reclaim their lives.

Now, Chad has become his father’s fishing buddy. In 2017, the two went on a three-hour fishing trip and proudly flaunted their nine catches by displaying them with a custom sign referencing Jimmy’s three coaching championship rings. 

Jimmy Johnson’s struggle with losing his son to addiction

When Jimmy was in the league, his entire life was gridiron. He didn’t even pay attention to anything else until 1999. “When I was at the funeral and looked at my mother in her casket, it just hit me how much I’d missed, how I’d missed my family,” he admitted. “How I sacrificed my first marriage for football.” Things took a more dire turn when he learned about his son Chad’s alcohol addiction. 

“Nothing ever comes close to how low I was when Chad was struggling,” Jimmy revealed, via Miami Herald. At one point in time, Jimmy thought Chad’s struggle might end in tragedy. But one fine evening, Chad convinced himself “to quit believing that it’s OK to have even one drink.” It marked the first step in his recovery. 

He moved back to St. Petersburg and began surrounding himself with those who did not rely on alcohol to have a good time. As he got his act together slowly, he decided to help others do the same. Thus founded Tranquil Shores. Today, his father proudly says, “I’m more proud of what Chad has accomplished than anything I ever did.” 

The most important lesson about successfully running his business came from his dad, “My dad told me that when it comes to running any successful business, you must create an atmosphere where people are confident and fulfilled,” Chad shared. Honestly, that advice holds some serious weight. After all, Jimmy took the Miami Hurricanes to a national championship, coached the Cowboys to back-to-back Super Bowl wins in the early ‘90s, then moved on to the Miami Dolphins before retiring from coaching at the turn of the millennium.