LeShon Johnson facts for kids
| No. 42, 32, 23 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Running back | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | January 15, 1971 Haskell, Oklahoma, U.S. |
||||||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 205 lb (93 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Haskell | ||||||||||||
| College: | Northern Illinois | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1994 / Round: 3 / Pick: 84 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||
LeShon Eugene Johnson (born January 15, 1971) is a former American football player. He played as a running back and kick returner in the National Football League (NFL) for six seasons during the 1990s. LeShon played college football for the Northern Illinois Huskies. He earned top honors as an All-American in 1993. The Green Bay Packers chose him in the 1994 NFL draft. He also played for the Arizona Cardinals, New York Giants, and the Chicago Enforcers in the XFL (2001).
Contents
Early Life and "The Cowboy"
LeShon Johnson was born in Haskell, Oklahoma. He was a very good high school running back at Haskell High School. Johnson was also a bull rider when he was younger. This was part of the junior rodeo circuit. Because of his rodeo skills, people called him the "Cowboy." This nickname stayed with him throughout his football career.
College Football Star
Johnson first attended Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College. Later, he moved to Northern Illinois University. He joined the Northern Illinois Huskies football team in 1992 and 1993.
Top College Rusher
In 1993, during his senior year, Johnson was the best college rusher in the country. He ran for 1,976 yards on 327 carries. This meant he averaged 179.6 yards per game. Johnson also finished sixth in the voting for the 1993 Heisman Trophy. This award goes to the most outstanding player in college football. Even though he only played two years for the Huskies, his total of 3,314 rushing yards is still one of the best in the team's history.
NFL Journey
The Green Bay Packers picked LeShon Johnson in the third round of the 1994 NFL draft. He was the 84th player chosen overall.
Drafted by the Packers
He played for the Packers in the 1994 and 1995 seasons. From 1995 to 1997, he played for the Arizona Cardinals.
Amazing Game with Cardinals
Johnson had his best game while playing for the Cardinals. On September 22, 1996, he ran for an amazing 214 yards on 21 carries. This was against the New Orleans Saints.
Comeback and Final Teams
LeShon's football career was paused in 1998 when he faced a health challenge. He had lymphoma cancer. But he worked hard and made a great comeback. He even became a starter for the New York Giants in the 1999 season. His football career ended when he played in the XFL for the Chicago Enforcers.
See Also
- List of college football yearly rushing leaders
