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Who Is Rhonda Rookmaaker? Jimmy Johnson’s Wife, Explained
Rhonda Rookmaaker is the wife of Pro Football Hall of Fame coach and FOX NFL Sunday analyst Jimmy Johnson. She has kept a deliberately private profile throughout their relationship, avoiding interviews and public life even as Johnson became one of the most recognizable figures in American football.
Who Is Rhonda Rookmaaker?
Rookmaaker is best known as Jimmy Johnson’s second wife. Before their relationship, she worked as a hairdresser in South Florida. She has not pursued a public career of her own and rarely appears in media beyond joint public appearances with Johnson.
Quick Facts
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Real Name | Rhonda Rookmaaker |
| Date of Birth | July 1, 1954 |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Former hairdresser |
| Known For | Wife of Jimmy Johnson |
| Spouse | Jimmy Johnson (married July 1999) |
How Rhonda Rookmaaker Met Jimmy Johnson
Rookmaaker and Johnson met in 1984, when she worked as a hairdresser at a salon in Coral Gables, Florida, and he was head coach at the University of Miami, according to CBS News. At the time, Johnson was still married to his first wife, Linda Kay Cooper. Johnson’s marriage to Cooper ended in 1990, shortly after he took the head coaching job with the Dallas Cowboys in 1989.
The 1999 Wedding
Johnson and Rookmaaker married in a private ceremony in December 1999 at an oceanfront home Johnson had purchased in the Florida Keys, CBS News reported at the time. It was the second marriage for both. Johnson had just turned 56, and Rookmaaker was 45 at the time of the wedding.
The couple do not have biological children together. Rookmaaker is stepmother to Johnson’s two sons from his first marriage, Chad and Brent.
Jimmy Johnson’s Career, Briefly
Johnson, born July 16, 1943, in Port Arthur, Texas, coached the University of Miami Hurricanes to a national championship in 1987 and later led the Dallas Cowboys to Super Bowl wins following the 1992 and 1993 seasons. He went on to coach the Miami Dolphins before moving into broadcasting as an analyst on FOX NFL Sunday. Johnson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020.
Life Today
Rookmaaker and Johnson have been married for more than 25 years and are known to split their time in South Florida and the Florida Keys. She has continued to stay out of the public eye, with no independent media career, social media presence, or public statements attributed to her.
FAQs
Is Rhonda Rookmaaker a public figure in her own right?
No. She is known primarily through her marriage to Jimmy Johnson and has not pursued a public career or media presence of her own.
When did Rhonda Rookmaaker marry Jimmy Johnson?
They married in December 1999 in a private ceremony in the Florida Keys.
How did Rhonda Rookmaaker and Jimmy Johnson meet?
They met in 1984 at a hair salon in Coral Gables, Florida, where she worked and he was coaching at the University of Miami.
Does Rhonda Rookmaaker have children?
She has no biological children with Johnson but is stepmother to his two sons, Chad and Brent, from his first marriage.
What did Rhonda Rookmaaker do for work?
She worked as a hairdresser before and during the early part of her relationship with Johnson.
