Rudi Johnson facts for kids
Johnson prior to the 2007 Monday Night opener
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| No. 32 | |||||||||||||
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | October 1, 1979 Ettrick, Virginia, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 225 lb (102 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Thomas Dale (Chester, Virginia ) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Auburn | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2001 / Round: 4 / Pick: 100 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||
Burudi Ali Johnson (born October 1, 1979), known as Rudi Johnson, is a former American football player. He played as a running back for eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL). The Cincinnati Bengals picked him in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL draft.
Rudi was chosen for the Pro Bowl in 2004 while playing for the Bengals. He led the AFC in rushing that year. He was known for his strong, tough running style. This earned him the nickname "Auburn Rambler."
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Rudi Johnson's Early Life
Rudi Johnson was born in Petersburg, Virginia. This city is about 30 miles south of Richmond. His first name, "Burudi," means "cool" in Swahili. His middle name, "Ali," shows his family's respect for Muhammad Ali.
He started playing football at age six with the Ettrick Trojans. This was part of the Chesterfield Quarterback League. In high school, he played for the Thomas Dale Knights. He played both offense and defense. Rudi broke the school's rushing record. His friend and coach, Henry Jefferson, previously held this record. After high school, he went to Butler Community College.
Rudi Johnson's College Football Career
Playing at Butler Community College
Rudi Johnson played for two years at Butler Community College. He helped his team win two national championships. They beat Ricks College in 1998 and Dixie College in 1999. In the championship game against Dixie College, he had an amazing performance. He ran for 375 yards and scored seven touchdowns. Because of this, he was named the NJCAA "Player of the Year." Rudi Johnson was later added to the NJCAA Hall of Fame.
Time at Auburn University
After Butler, Rudi went to Auburn University. During his time there, he ran the ball 324 times for 1,567 yards. His 324 rushing attempts set a new school record for a single season. His 1,567 rushing yards were the second-most in Auburn's history. He had ten games where he ran for over 100 yards. He was named the SEC Player of the Year. He also studied sociology while at Auburn.
Rudi Johnson's NFL Career
Joining the Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals chose Rudi Johnson in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL draft. He was the 100th player picked overall.
In his first two NFL seasons, Rudi did not play much. He was a backup to Corey Dillon, a four-time Pro Bowl player. Rudi had only 17 carries and seven catches during these years.
In the 2003 season, Dillon was injured a lot. This gave Rudi a chance to become a starter. In one game against the Houston Texans, he ran the ball 43 times for 182 yards and two touchdowns. In another game, he had 174 rushing yards and two touchdowns against the San Francisco 49ers. Overall, he rushed for 957 yards and nine touchdowns in just nine games.
After the 2003 season, Dillon was traded. Rudi Johnson then became the main running back. He started every game in the 2004 season. In a game against the Cleveland Browns, he ran for a career-high 202 yards and two touchdowns. He also scored three touchdowns in the last game of the season. Rudi set a new Bengals record with 1,454 rushing yards that year. He also scored 12 touchdowns and was named to the AFC Pro Bowl team.
Rudi was a key player in the 2005 season. The Bengals made the playoffs for the first time in 15 years. Rudi's strong running helped balance the team's offense. This allowed quarterback Carson Palmer and wide receiver Chad Johnson to shine. Rudi broke his own team record with 1,458 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. He also caught 23 passes for 90 yards. In his first playoff game, he scored a touchdown. However, the Bengals lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
In the 2006 season, Rudi continued to play well. He had 145 rushing yards and two touchdowns in a game against the Cleveland Browns. For the season, he ran for 1,309 yards and 12 touchdowns.
During the 2007 season, Rudi missed five games due to injuries. He finished the season with 497 yards and three touchdowns. In August 2008, the Bengals released him from the team.
Playing for the Detroit Lions
Rudi Johnson signed a one-year deal with the Detroit Lions on September 1, 2008. In his one season with the Lions, he ran for 237 yards and one touchdown. He also caught passes for 88 yards and one touchdown. The 2008 season was Rudi Johnson's last year in the NFL.
Rudi Johnson's NFL Statistics
Regular Season Games
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||
| 2001 | CIN | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 | CIN | 7 | 0 | 17 | 67 | 3.9 | 13 | 0 | 6 | 34 | 5.7 | 14 | 0 |
| 2003 | CIN | 13 | 5 | 215 | 957 | 4.5 | 54 | 9 | 21 | 146 | 7.0 | 17 | 0 |
| 2004 | CIN | 16 | 16 | 361 | 1,454 | 4.0 | 52 | 12 | 15 | 84 | 5.6 | 30 | 0 |
| 2005 | CIN | 16 | 14 | 337 | 1,458 | 4.3 | 33 | 12 | 23 | 90 | 3.9 | 15 | 0 |
| 2006 | CIN | 16 | 15 | 341 | 1,309 | 3.8 | 22 | 12 | 23 | 124 | 5.4 | 18 | 0 |
| 2007 | CIN | 11 | 9 | 170 | 497 | 2.9 | 22 | 3 | 13 | 110 | 8.5 | 33 | 1 |
| 2008 | DET | 14 | 4 | 76 | 237 | 3.1 | 27 | 1 | 12 | 88 | 7.3 | 34 | 1 |
| Career Totals | 95 | 63 | 1,517 | 5,979 | 3.9 | 54 | 49 | 113 | 676 | 6.0 | 34 | 2 | |
Playoff Games
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||
| 2005 | CIN | 1 | 1 | 13 | 56 | 4.3 | 20 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 7.0 | 11 | 0 |
| Career Totals | 1 | 1 | 13 | 56 | 4.3 | 20 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 7.0 | 11 | 0 | |
Rudi Johnson's Community Work
The Rudi Johnson Foundation started in July 2005. This foundation helps families and children. It aims to teach them to be independent and self-reliant. The foundation runs several programs in the community. In 2007, James Farrior of the Pittsburgh Steelers joined this effort. He started his own foundation to help.
The foundation also helped create the first football team for Clark Montessori High School in Cincinnati. The foundation strongly supports Be The Match. This is a national registry for the National Bone Marrow Registry. They often hold events to find minority donors.
