Years after his Olympic and athletic career came to an end, Johnson was still once again front and center at a Summer Olympiad, as Johnson had the honor of carrying the Olympic torch at the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles.įor all of his athletic endeavors, Johnson also gained signifcant recognition beyond the playing field. He was also selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the 1959 NFL Draft despite never playing a down of college football. Johnson broke multiple decathlon world records over the course of his track and field career, and qualified for both the 19 Summer Olympic Games.Īn elite athlete, Johnson was named Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated in 1958 and later one of the 100 Greatest North American Athletes of the 20th Century by ESPN in 1998. Johnson died Wednesday morning at his home in Sherman Oaks, California, surrounded by his family, per the report.īorn in Hillsboro, Texas, and raised in Kingsburg, California, Johnson attended UCLA in the mid-to-late 1950s, starring on the Bruins' track and field team while also playing basketball under legendary coach John Wooden. Former UCLA track star and basketball player Rafer Johnson, a former Olympian, has died at the age of 86, TMZ reports.

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