Former Cincinnati Bengals running back Rudi Johnson has died, the team confirmed in a statement on Tuesday.
Johnson was 45.
‘Rudi was a fine person and an excellent running back for us,’ Bengals owner and team president Mike Brown said in a statement. ‘He was dependable and productive as a player, and very popular among his teammates. Everyone liked him and saw him as a dear friend. We are deeply saddened by his passing.’
The 100th overall pick of the 2001 NFL Draft played eight seasons in the NFL, seven of them with the Bengals and one with the Detroit Lions. In 95 career games, he compiled 1,517 carries for 5,979 yards and 49 touchdowns. His 5,742 yards with Cincinnati are the fourth-most in the franchise’s history. His 48 rushing touchdowns with the Bengals are second-most.
Johnson was a major factor in the Bengals offense in the mid-2000s, tallying more than 1,300 yards and exactly 12 touchdowns every season between 2004 and 2006. His efforts in a career-best 2005 season helped Cincinnati secure its first winning record, division title and playoff appearance since 1990.