March 9th shattered the Fox Sports newsroom when Jimmy Johnson dropped his retirement bombshell at 81. The legendary coach who built Dallas into a dynasty was walking away from broadcasting after three decades of bringing Super Bowl credibility to their NFL coverage since 1994. Johnson’s departure hit his Fox family harder than anyone expected. Michael Strahan couldn’t hide his emotions, immediately posting a heartfelt tribute that showed how deep their friendship ran beyond television cameras. “Congratulations on your retirement, @jimmyjohnson4616!” Strahan posted alongside a photo of them embracing during work.

The genuine affection between colleagues became obvious as tributes poured in from Erin Andrews and the entire broadcast team. Johnson had earned respect that transcended typical workplace relationships. Four days later, that family bond went viral when Andrews shared a party photo featuring herself with Charissa Thompson, Michael Strahan, and the guest of honor—Jimmy Johnson. The image captured everything fans needed to understand about their connection. “Love our family,” Andrews shared on her Instagram story. Those three simple words revealed the truth about Fox Sports’ tight-knit culture. Johnson wasn’t just leaving a job—he was stepping away from people who genuinely cared about him. The retirement celebration photo proved it.

Monday brought the kind of farewell that legends deserve. Jay Glazer captured the perfect moment when Fox Sports gathered to honor Jimmy Johnson’s incredible 31-year run with the network. The photo told the entire story — genuine brotherhood formed over decades of shared Sunday mornings. Glazer’s emotional post revealed just how deep these relationships ran beyond television cameras. Standing alongside Rob Gronkowski and Michael Strahan, the veteran reporter couldn’t contain his gratitude for their time together. “What a way to have one final hurrah with our brother @jimmyjohnson4616 singing End Of The Road with @boyziimen. Absolutely unreal experience. The bonds we have… I thank GOD every day for the journey we’ve been on together at @nflonfox.”

The farewell party turned into something magical when Boyz II Men showed up to perform their classic hit. Johnson, who’d spent decades analyzing football with surgical precision, found himself singing along to “End of the Road” with his Fox family surrounding him. The 81-year-old coach, who’d built the Dallas Cowboys dynasty, couldn’t hide his feelings about leaving behind people who’d become genuine family. “Going to miss my guys,” Jimmy stated through visible tears. Johnson’s emotions surfaced during the celebration, showing a vulnerable side rarely seen during his analyst years. The irony wasn’t lost on anyone — the perfect soundtrack for his broadcasting exit from people who meant everything to him.

Those words hit differently coming from someone who’d won back-to-back Super Bowls in 1993 and 1994. Johnson had spent decades building championship teams, but his Fox Sports relationships clearly meant just as much as any football success. In fact, Jerry Jones, Johnson’s former Arkansas teammate and current Cowboys owner, released his own tribute acknowledging their complicated but successful partnership in Dallas. The statement honored Johnson’s coaching legacy while recognizing his broadcasting excellence. March marked the end of an era that began in 1994 when Johnson first joined Fox NFL Sunday. His departure creates a massive void that the network must now fill with another NFL legend capable of matching his championship credibility and authentic chemistry with the broadcast team.

Gronkowski takes Johnson’s chair, redefining Fox NFL Sunday

Fox just swapped a silver fox for a super-spike. Jimmy Johnson, 82, hung up the headset last March after 31 seasons in the pre-game chair. “I had been thinking about it for the last four or five years, but I made the difficult decision to retire from Fox,” he told Colin Cowherd. “I’m going to miss it and I’m going to miss all of the guys. I’ll see them occasionally, but it had been a great run starting back 31 years ago.” The coach-turned-legend exits with two rings and a grin that’s been in millions of living rooms every Sunday.

Cue the party bus. Rob Gronkowski—five-time Pro Bowler, four-time All-Pro, human highlight reel—slides into Johnson’s seat full-time. Fox dropped the news Friday after Gronk’s tryout tour of guest hits on “Fox NFL Sunday.” He first popped up in 2018 on “Fox NFL Thursday,” cracking jokes and spiking microphones.

Chemistry? Already there. He’ll sit with Curt Menefee, Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, Michael Strahan, and Jay Glazer. Brady’s in the A-booth with Kevin Burkhardt, so the ex-Pats reunion tour is officially on. Johnson sails off into Key West sunsets. Gronk storms in with beach-ball energy. Same desk, new soundtrack. Buckle up—NFL Sundays just got louder.