Every now and then, you come across that one person who made a difference wherever he or she went. For many in Swampscott, that was John Hoffman, who passed away Wednesday.
“I can’t believe he’s gone and I’m here. It doesn’t seem right,” said Hoffman’s uncle John, of Lynn. “He had a really great life. He had a great personality and was there for everyone when they needed it.”
The Swampscott John Hoffman just about did it all. He was a star football player for the Big Blue (right guard on offense; nose guard on defense) and part of the 1972 team that won the first Super Bowl.
“He played football at Swampscott (Class of 1973) and excelled,” his uncle said.
It’s true. He played in an Agganis All-Star Game and nearly played professionally in Canada.
“But he couldn’t because of his knee, so he came back to help the community,” his uncle said.
That he did, coaching Swampscott’s offensive line from 1980-2002.
“Coaching in Swampscott was the best time in my life,” he said in 2009.
Steve Dembowski, who played for and coached next to Hoffman, showed his appreciation on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Hoffa, our o-line coach and police officer, brought the best out of so many Big Blue kids,” Dembowski wrote. “His passion for football and his hometown was only surpassed by the love for his family.”
Hoffman, whose father, Red Hoffman, was sports editor with The Item, was also a police officer in town from 1985 until his retirement in 2004.
“John Hoffman was a gentle giant and one hell of a cop,” Tom Driscoll said. “He continued to be an icon in town, always smiling and being part of the fabric of Swampscott.”
Despite being a “terror” on the football field, he was also “happy-go-lucky, quiet, and very giving,” according to his uncle.
When asked about his championship football days, Hoffman would always say, “There were a lot of great players on that team,” his uncle said.
That was despite Hoffman being right next to Scotty McCallum when McCallum hauled in the winning touchdown pass from Mike Jauron (28-21 over Catholic Memorial) in 1972.
“We lost a great human being, a good friend, and I lost a great teammate… I was really fortunate to have him by my side throughout my life,” Jauron said. “He always stayed involved and was a class act. I can’t say enough good things about him.”
Hoffman suffered from a stroke in 2003. Despite the setback, Jauron said his first words to others were always, “How are you doing?”
“He’d been in a bad place for a long time, and we hope he’s in a better place,” said Jauron, who grew up with Hoffman in Lynn and Swampscott.
He had a sense of humor, too. On top of talking sports 24/7 with his uncle, they would often call the other “the phony John Hoffman.”
“We were like best friends – more than an uncle and a nephew,” his uncle said.
Hoffman’s partner, Karen McKay, was also instrumental throughout his life, supporting and taking care of him through it all.
Despite his passing, Hoffman’s legacy as a player, coach, family man, and member of the community lives on.
“Everyone who met him, loved him,” his uncle said.
