Johnny Johnson (American football)
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Date of birth: | June 11, 1968 | ||||||||
| Place of birth: | Santa Clara, California | ||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 220 lb (100 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Santa Cruz | ||||||||
| College: | San Jose State | ||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1990 / Round: 7 / Pick: 169 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| * Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Johnny Johnson, Jr. (born June 11, 1968) is a retired American football running back who played in the National Football League for the New York Jets and the Phoenix Cardinals between 1990 and 1994.
High school and college
He prepped at Santa Cruz High School.[1] Johnson attended and graduated from San Jose State University. For the San Jose State Spartans basketball team, Johnson played 12 games as a basketball player after most team members walked off and refused to play under coach Bill Berry. With 1,219 yards rushing and 61 catches in receiving, Johnson was considered among the top 20 college football players in the United States in 1988.[2]
Professional career
He played in the 1991 Pro Bowl. After playing for 3 seasons for the Cardinals, Johnson was traded during the 1993 NFL Draft to the New York Jets, in exchange for the Cardinals moving from the Number 4 pick in the draft to the Jets' Number 3 draft position. The Cardinals badly wanted Garrison Hearst, who also played running back, so the Cardinals were willing to part with Johnson just to move up one draft spot.[3]
After arriving on the Jets, Johnny Johnson was named Jets team MVP in 1993 in a vote by his teammates. Johnson finished the season ranked second in the AFC in total yards from scrimmage. He was one of only two backs to lead his team in rushing and receptions.
He became a free agent in 1995, and the Jets made him available for the expansion draft that year.[4] Johnson considered signing with the San Francisco 49ers.[1] In April 1996, Johnson signed a two-year, $3-million contract with the 49ers; consequently, the 49ers waived Dennis Brown to make salary cap room for Johnson.[5]
Statistics
Note: G = Games played; Att = Rushing attempts; Yds = Rushing yards; Avg = Average yards per carry; Long = Longest rush; Rush TD = Rushing touchdowns; Rec = Receptions; Yds = Receiving yards; Avg = Average yards per reception; Long = Longest reception; Rec TD = Receiving touchdowns
| Year | Team | GP | Att | Yds | Avg | Long | Rush TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Long | Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Phoenix Cardinals | 14 | 234 | 926 | 4.0 | 41 | 5 | 25 | 241 | 9.6 | 35 | 0 |
| 1991 | Phoenix Cardinals | 15 | 196 | 666 | 3.4 | 21 | 4 | 29 | 225 | 7.8 | 51 | 2 |
| 1992 | Phoenix Cardinals | 12 | 178 | 734 | 4.1 | 42 | 6 | 14 | 103 | 7.4 | 26 | 0 |
| 1993 | New York Jets | 15 | 198 | 821 | 4.1 | 57 | 3 | 67 | 641 | 9.6 | 48 | 1 |
| 1994 | New York Jets | 16 | 240 | 931 | 3.9 | 90 | 3 | 42 | 303 | 7.2 | 24 | 2 |
| Career Totals | 72 | 1,046 | 4,078 | 3.9 | 90 | 21 | 177 | 1,513 | 8.5 | 51 | 5 | |
- Stats that are highlighted show career high
Notes
- 1 2 Swan, Gary (November 7, 1995). "Johnny Johnson May Sign Soon". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved February 18, 2011.
- ↑ Norwood, Robyn (August 28, 1989). "Big West Preview : Johnson, San Jose State Bulk Up for Challenge of Fresno State". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 17, 2011.
- ↑ "Jets Trade Down But Still Move Up", New York Times, April 26, 1993
- ↑ Eskenazi, Gerald (February 16, 1995). "Risky, Yes, but Jets Get Back Their Man". The New York Times. Retrieved February 18, 2011.
- ↑ "49ers Cut a Starter". The New York Times. Associated Press. April 3, 1996. Retrieved February 18, 2011.
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| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Brad Baxter/Blair Thomas |
New York Jets Starting Running Back 1993-1994 |
Succeeded by Adrian Murrell |
| Awards and achievements | ||