Larry Johnson
Teams
Kansas City Chiefs (2003-2009)
Cincinnati Bengals (2009)
Washington Redskins (2010)
Miami Dolphins (2011)
Playoffs
Appearances - 3 (2003,2006,2009)
Conf Champ Games - 0
Super Bowls - 0
Championships - 0
Awards and Honors
All-Pro First Team - 1 (2006)
All-Pro Second Team - 1 (2005)
Pro Bowl - 2 (2005,2006)
All-Time Ranks
Rushing Yards per Game - #31
Yards per Rush - #64
Rushing Touchdowns - #65
Rushing Yards - #87
League Leads
Rushing Yards (#2-2006, #3-2005)
Rushing Touchdowns (#2-2005,2006)
Yards per Rush (#3-2005, #5-2004, #9-2008)
Rushing Yards per Game (#2-2006, #3-2005)
Total Touchdowns (#2-2005,2006)
Scrimmage Yards (#2-2005, #3-2006)
Yards per Touch (#4-2004, #9-2005)
Larry Johnson did not see the field much during his first 3 seasons at Penn State, but as a senior, he rushed for 2087 yards and 20 touchdowns, while averaging 7.7 yards per carry, and it resulted in his being selected by the Kansas City Chiefs with the #27 pick in the 2003 NFL Draft.
Johnson did not play much as a rookie, tallying only 20 carries, and he publicly feuded with his head coach as well. The next season was more of the same, but he got to start a couple of games late in the season due to injuries to other backs, and he shows flashes of brilliance.
Midway through the 2005 season, starting back Priest Holmes went down with a neck injury, and Johnson moved into the starting role, and he eclipsed 100 yards in each of the 9 games he started, including a team record 211 yards against Houston. He finished the season with 1750 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns, both #2 in the league, and was named to the All-Pro Second Team, despite spending half of the year as a backup.
He took the starting job full-time the next year, and set a league record that still stands with 416 carries, finishing with 1789 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns as he climbed onto the All-Pro First Team. After 2 amazing seasons, Johnson held out through training camp for a new contract, and the team ended up making him the highest-paid running back in the league.
His performance dropped of significantly after signing the new contract, with a season average of only 3.5 yards per carry, and a season-ending foot injury in week 9 bringing a premature end to a disappointing year of only 559 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Personal problems plagued him throughout the next season, as he was suspended for 4 separate games for different violations, including one game for spitting in a woman's face. He retained his starting job into the 2009 season, but after 8 games and only 358 yards on the ground, the team suspended him for multiple comments made on social media that were critical of his coach and used gay slurs. When his suspension ended, the team waived him rather than let him return to the team.
He signed with the Cincinnati Bengals for the remainder of the season, serving as a backup to Cedric Benson. After the season, he signed a 3-year contract with the Washington Redskins, but he was released after only 2 games and did not play again that season. He signed with the Dolphins for 2011, but was released after only 1 game, and never returned to the league.
Johnson was incredibly talented, and was the best running back in the league at his peak, but he let off-the-field issues tank his career, and he may not have shown us his full potential. In his two peak seasons, he had over 4200 scrimmage yards and 40 touchdowns, but in his other 7 seasons he had only 3300 yards and 21 touchdowns. Even though he may have wasted his incredible talent, he is still one of the greatest running backs of all time.
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