Jimmy Johnson is one of the most accomplished former football coaches. He remains the only coach to have won both a college football national championship and a Super Bowl, first with the University of Miami and later with the Dallas Cowboys.
He later took on a role as a sports analyst for Fox Sports. Beyond his career, Johnson is also a devoted husband and father.
His first marriage ended in divorce, but the multiple Hall of Famer eventually found lasting happiness with his second wife, Rhonda Rookmaaker.
The two first met while Johnson was still married to his first spouse, though their own marriage came years later. They never had children together, but both brought kids from earlier relationships.
Here’s a closer look at Johnson’s marriages, the separation from his first wife, and the life the coach now shares with Rhonda.
Who is Jimmy Johnson’s Wife, Rhonda Rookmaaker?
Rookmaaker once worked as a hairdresser at a salon in Coral Gables. It was during her time there in 1984 that she first met her future life-partner, Jimmy, who was then serving as the head coach at the University of Miami.
She is more than ten years younger than her husband. Born in July 1954, Rhonda is now 71 years old.
He Later Divorced His First Wife, Linda Kay Cooper
Johnson married Linda Kay Cooper on July 12, 1963, and the couple went on to have two sons. After more than two decades together, their marriage came to an end when they divorced in January 1990.
The split came five years after Johnson first met Rhonda. He was hired by the Dallas Cowboys shortly after. Explaining the decision behind his separation, Johnson told reporters that he no longer needed the social prop of a spouse.
During his years in Dallas, Rookmaaker also moved to the city. In 1994, after winning two Super Bowl titles with the Cowboys, the two returned together to South Florida.
Jimmy Got Engaged to Rookmaaker in 1998 and Married the Following Year
The couple became engaged in January 1998. Johnson revealed the news during a press conference where he had originally planned to announce his retirement, though he later decided to continue coaching.
Johnson and Rhonda married on July 18, 1999, in a private ceremony at an oceanfront home he had purchased in the Florida Keys.
Like Jimmy, Rhonda had also been married before. She has three children from her first marriage.
His First Spouse Linda Died at 61
Linda Kay Cooper passed away on October 6, 2003, in Fayetteville at the age of 61.
She was born on January 17, 1942, in Marked Tree, Arkansas, and spent her career as an educator, teaching in schools around the world.
At the time of her death, she was married to her second husband, Roger Kent Aronson.
Jimmy and Linda Had Two Sons, Brent and Chad
Although Johnson and Kay Cooper divorced after 26 years of marriage, they shared two children together, W. Brent Johnson and Chad J. Johnson.
Jimmy is now a grandfather to several grandchildren through his sons. In December 2021, he shared a photo of his son Chad with his wife, Mary, holding their two-month-old baby, Cooper. Johnson captioned it, “Stopped to see my 2-month-old grandson Cooper, Chad & Mary!”
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Both of his sons have gone on to build notable careers. Brent serves as president of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, while Chad represents District 22 in the Florida House of Representatives.
Chad has also been open about his battle with alcoholism. He sought treatment at Tranquil Shores in St. Petersburg in 2009 and has lived a sober life since then.
Where Does Jimmy Johnson Live Now?
Today, he lives in Islamorada in the Florida Keys with his second wife, Rhonda.
Over the years, he has also owned restaurants. He once ran Three Rings in Miami and today owns JJ’s Big Chill, a bar and grill in Key Largo at mile marker 104.
Fishing is one of his biggest passions, something he often shares with fans on social media. He even owns a fishing boat named Three Rings.
