His attacking defenses helped the Eagles to one Super Bowl appearance and five NFC title games.

Jeffrey Lurie, Eagles chairman, said: “Jim epitomized the traits of what a great coach should be — a teacher, a leader and a winner. He positively touched the lives of so many people in and out of the Eagles organization. It was easy to feel close to him. We will miss him greatly.”

“There’s been no finer coach or man than Jim Johnson.” The Eagles family has been blessed and everyone who’s surrounded the football team or surrounded Jim in everything he conducted himself, we had a true gem here and there aren’t a lot of Jims,” Jeffrey added.

Johnson was widely regarded as one of the best defensive coordinators in the NFL. He was especially known for being a master architect of blitzes, disguising them skillfully and keeping offenses constantly off-balance.

From 2000-08, Johnson’s Philadelphia defenses ranked second in the NFL in sacks (390). During his 10-year tenure, the Eagles made the playoffs seven times and he produced 26 Pro Bowl selections.

“This whole Eagles-Andy Reid regime here that’s taken place wouldn’t have been possible without Jim,” said Andy Reid, who hired Johnson to be his defensive coordinator.

“I’m not sure there’s a person that I’ve met that isn’t a Jim Johnson fan. He really represented everything this city is all about with his toughness and grit. That’s the way he fought this cancer.”

Earlier Reid quoted, “First and foremost, our thoughts and prayers are with Jim Johnson and his family as they battle through this difficult time in his cancer treatments”

“I have been in constant communication with Jim and his wife throughout this off-season and they are thankful for all the support they have received from the Eagles’ organization, the fans and the entire NFL community,” he added.

Team president Joe Banner and Reid visited hospital on Monday to meet Johnson, Reid said that he had words with him and was amused to see that at this stage of life, Johnson was thinking nothing other than Football.

Reid surprisingly said, “He was very concerned about the starting date of training camp. He had all the dates down and he knew them. Amazing.”

Admiring his skills, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell remarked, “He was a teacher to many players both on and off the field and devoted his life to the game of football. He had a positive influence on scores of young men, and leaves behind a wonderful legacy.”

On January 29, 2009, it was announced that Johnson was undergoing treatment for melanoma. On May 18, 2009, Johnson announced a leave of absence due to the advancement of his cancer.

Sean McDermott, a former William and Mary safety and assistant coach, who had replaced Jim Johnson as Philadelphia’s defensive coordinator gave credit to Johnson.

“What haven’t I learned from Jim?” McDermott said. “I don’t think it would be fair to Jim, in this setting, to try and limit in one statement, one press conference, the effect that Jim has had on my life.”

When Mc Dermot was asked on Monday morning that how he was getting by without his mentor, Johnson, around to help and whether he finds himself asking what Johnson would do in certain situations.

“Not so much, ‘What would Jim do here,’ because I ran through those situations already in my mind, and if I hadn’t by now it would have been a big mistake,” McDermott said.

“But moreso missing him coming out of the locker room, missing him in meetings this morning, just his presence. He had a way about him that you loved just being around the guy.”

Coaches across the league paid homage to Johnson’s impact on their careers and the league.

Johnson spent two seasons in the NFL as a player with the Buffalo Bills in 1963-64. He began his coaching career at Missouri Southern in 1967, and was the secondary coach at Notre Dame when the Fighting Irish won the national championship in 1977.

Johnson spent the last 23 seasons coaching in the NFL, including 10 years as Philadelphia’s defensive coordinator.