Larry Johnson

Chiefs running back who set the NFL record for carries in a season.

Larry Johnson is a former NFL running back whom the Kansas City Chiefs took in the first round, 27th overall, of the 2003 draft. A unanimous All-American at Penn State, where he ran for 2,087 yards in 2002 and won the Maxwell, Doak Walker and Walter Camp awards, he spent most of his professional career in Kansas City before later spells with the Cincinnati Bengals, Washington Redskins and Miami Dolphins.

Quick Facts

Number: 34, 27, 23
Position: Running back
Birth Date: 1979-11-19
Birth Place: Pomfret, Maryland, U.S.
Height Ft: 6
Height In: 1
Weight Lb: 235
High School: State College Area
College: Penn State (1998–2002)
Draftyear: 2003
Draftpick: 27
Pastteams: Kansas City Chiefs (2003 · 2009) / Cincinnati Bengals (2009) / Washington Redskins (2010) / Miami Dolphins (2011)

Facts from the source article.

Lore & Background

Kansas City drafted Johnson as insurance behind Priest Holmes, over the objections of head coach Dick Vermeil, and the two clashed publicly in his first seasons. His chance came when injuries hit Holmes: on November 20, 2005 he ran for a club-record 211 yards against the Houston Texans, went on to top 100 yards in nine straight games, and finished the season with a franchise-record 1,750 rushing yards, a Pro Bowl berth and the team's MVP award.

Reader's Guide

Johnson's later Kansas City years were overshadowed off the field. In 2008 he was benched and then suspended by commissioner Roger Goodell under the league's personal conduct policy, and in October 2009 the Chiefs told him to stay away from practice and team activities after his public comments about head coach Todd Haley.