At 6-2, 231 pounds, Johnny Holland was an inside linebacker with unusual skills in that he could play in space and defend the pass, unlike many of the thumping inside ‘backers of his era.

Paired with fellow linebacker Brian Noble, the duo made a fearsome tandem in the middle of the Green Bay Packers defense starting when Holland was drafted in 1987 in the second round of the draft. And while he never garnered much league-wide attention, he twice led the Packers in tackles en route to being enshrined in the Packers Hall of Fame in 2001. He also was named Packers Rookie of the Year in his first season out of Texas A&M.

Former Green Bay linebackers coach Bob Valesente once told PackersNew.com that Holland was, “One of the most consistent performers you’ll find on the field on game day.”

The coach continued, "He is always mentally and physically prepared to play the game. You can depend on him to make a play when you need one."  

Additionally, Holland totaled nearly 700 career tackles and posted 100 or more tackles for five straight seasons during his career, all with the Packers, culminating in a Super Bowl championship – the latter, however, coming as an assistant coach in Green Bay.

Truly, Holland may be better known as a coach than as a player, as he has bounced all around the league in various defensive assistant roles, including the Packers, Seahawks, Lions, Texans, Raiders (takes deep breath), Browns and 49ers, in addition to stints in the Canadian Football League.

Holland’s career might have been longer had injuries not plagued him. He missed three games in 1988, missed games in 1992, and following that season underwent neck-fusion surgery to treat a herniated disc. He had arguably his best year in 1993 after being cleared in training camp, but following that season, he was diagnosed with another herniated disc. At that point, the Packers mainstay decided to hang up his cleats.

And while as a player he was skilled at taking on blockers and tackling ball carriers, perhaps his biggest obstacle was being diagnosed in 2019 with multiple myeloma – a cancer of plasma cells. 

He would receive treatment at Stanford Medical Center and the University of California-San Francisco Medical Center. He also was part of a clinical study at UCSF Health, testing a combination of medications that have helped to keep Holland’s cancer at bay. 

After an absence in 2021 due to a recurrence of the disease, he returned to coaching and is now defensive run game coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers, having been on staff for the better part of a decade. And he has been vocal about his battle since initially not wanting to get a diagnosis for his symptoms.

Holland’s wife Faith said, speaking of the team physician'at Levi's Stadium "He was hesitant to see the doctor, even though the doctor is there every day." 

Ultimately, did see a physician, however, and it may have saved his life.

"In sharing the details of my diagnosis, my desire is that I can be an advocate and beacon of hope for those who are battling cancer to help remind them that we're all in this together," Holland said in 2021.