In sad NFL news, former Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson lost his battle with cancer and passed away on Tuesday at age 68.

Johnson had taken a leave of absence from the team in May as he continued to battle a cancerous tumor on his spine. The Eagles announced his death on Tuesday afternoon.

A veteran of 22 years as an NFL assistant, Johnson is regarded as one of the top defensive minds in the league, known for complex schemes that confused opponents and pressured the quarterback from every angle. His defenses consistently ranked among the best in the league, including last season, when the Eagles finished third in total defense and fell one victory short of the Super Bowl.

“What haven’t I learned from Jim?” (Sean) 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.”

McDermott paid Johnson the ultimate compliment in describing the style of defense he wanted the Eagles to play: Johnson’s style.

“There is one thing I know, and that is that this system, it works,” McDermott said. “Jim has spent a considerable amount of time in his coaching career researching and finding things that work and finding things that didn’t work, quite frankly, and I’m going to respect that and we’re going to build on that. From there, we’ll add wrinkles.”

Johnson was simply one of the best. He’s attacking style was highly productive and at least from this NFL fan’s point of view, incredibly fun to watch. He helped the Eagles win five division titles and between 2000 and 2008, his units ranked second in the league in sacks with 390.

The NFL, the Eagles and us fans are going to miss you, Jim. RIP.