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The roar of the crowd. The shimmer of a Lombardi Trophy. And the famous shout: “How ’bout them Cowboys!” These moments defined Jimmy Johnson‘s legacy.
But during Super Bowl LIX, FOX Sports added a new-and controversial-chapter to that legacy.
What was meant to be a powerful tribute turned into an emotional and uncanny experience, both for Johnson and the millions watching.
A High-Tech Tribute on the Game’s Biggest Stage
The moment arrived during FOX’s Super Bowl pregame show-a four-minute cinematic sequence featuring an AI-generated Jimmy Johnson.
Created by tech firm Hyperreal using a 100-camera 3D scan system, the segment showed a digital Johnson walking the length of AT&T Stadium, aging in real-time as his career highlights played out:
- Turning around Oklahoma State
- Leading the Miami Hurricanes to a national title
- Rebuilding the Dallas Cowboys into back-to-back Super Bowl champions
- Orchestrating the Herschel Walker trade
- Drafting Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin-the legendary “Triplets”
Even AI versions of familiar voices, like Terry Bradshaw, were included. Technologically, it was cutting-edge. Emotionally, it hit hard.
Johnson was visibly choked up during the broadcast. “One day at a time,” he said with a wry smile, sparking speculation about his possible retirement.
The tribute clearly moved him, stirring memories of iconic moments-his 1987 Fiesta Bowl gamble, his NFC Championship guarantee in ’93, and his calm leadership in Super Bowl XXVIII.
But many viewers weren’t as touched. Instead of being inspired, fans flocked to social media with reactions ranging from confused to creeped out.
“Weird,” were the thoughts of one X user.
“Disturbing, felt like a video game cutscene,” added another.
The animation, while impressive, fell into the “uncanny valley”-that eerie space where digital humans look just close enough to real, but something still feels off.
Even close friend and FOX co-host Terry Bradshaw acknowledged the emotional toll. On his podcast To The Point, Bradshaw said, “It tore him up emotionally.” The two share a 30+ year bond-regular flights, shared beers, honest moments. He knew what this meant to Johnson.
FOX’s goal was clear: celebrate a foundational figure in its 31 years of NFL coverage. Johnson, after all, is the only coach to win both a college national title and a Super Bowl-an achievement later matched only by Barry Switzer using Johnson‘s own Cowboys roster.
But the segment sparked a larger, more uncomfortable question:
Does AI help us celebrate greatness, or does it cheapen it by replacing authenticity with simulation?
Johnson has done his best to answer that question.
“The most fun I ever had in my career… was at FOX Sports,” he commented.
That kind of joy-raw, human, unscripted-is what connects fans to legends. It’s also what AI still struggles to replicate.
In the end, FOX’s tribute to Jimmy Johnson was bold, emotional, and undeniably memorable. Whether it honored or overshadowed his legacy remains up for debate.
What’s certain is that it pushed the conversation forward-about how we remember, how we celebrate, and what role technology should play when it comes to the most human parts of sports.
This news was originally published on this post .
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