NC State LB Vaughan Johnson

The Wolfpack Football family lost one of its members this week, as former NC State linebacker Vaughan Johnson passed away at the age of 57 after battling an illness.

Johnson, a native of Morehead City, was a 1983 All-American under coach Monte Kiffin, earning first-team honors from The Sporting News and second-team honors from the Associated Press. He led the team in tackles in 1982 (167), 1983 (144) and his 384 career stops still rank sixth in the Wolfpack record books.



He went on to a successful NFL career that saw him earn six All-Pro mentions and four Pro Bowl trips. Johnson played eight seasons with the New Orleans Saints (1986-1993), tallying 664 tackles and 12 sacks in his career. He was inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.



Johnson, along with Rickey Jackson, Sam Mills and Pat Swilling made up the Saints' famed "Dome Patrol" linebacker corps.

He also played for the USFL's Jacksonville Bulls and the Philadelphia Eagles.