Ove Johansson

Ove Johansson ( born March 31, 1948 in Gothenburg ) is a former Swedish professional American football player.

Johansson was born in Sweden and grew up. After his time with the Swedish Navy, he went with a friend to the U.S., where he worked as a football coach. After his U.S. visa had expired, he returned to Sweden. However, because of his girlfriend, who he had met, he tried for a scholarship at a college. In 1974 he was awarded a football scholarship at Davis & Elkins College. He remained there, however, only a year. In 1975, he followed his girlfriend April Abilene Christian University ( ACU), where he played two years as a college football kicker. For ACU he kicked as a junior on October 16, 1976, a field goal from 69 yards away. For comparison, the record in the NFL is at 63 yards.

For the 1977 season Johansson was drafted in the twelfth round as 316 players in total by the Houston Oilers. Johansson was the first Swede, who played in the North American professional league NFL. However, for the Oilers he never played. But he made two games in 1977 for the Philadelphia Eagles, but he scored a field goal, from 32 yards, in four attempts, and an extra point in three attempts. A rather poor record for a professional kicker.

He still lives with his wife April, with whom he has been married for more than thirty years, in Texas. Her two children graduated, their parents, their Unizeit at Abilene Christian University.