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Former Cincinnati Bengals running back Rudi Johnson has died at the age of 45. His passing was confirmed by the team on Tuesday and was first reported by TMZ. A family source told TMZ that Johnson had been "struggling with mental health issues and the possible effects of CTE that he could not overcome." Authorities later indicated that his death was an apparent suicide.
Johnson, who would have turned 46 next week, was drafted in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Bengals after a standout collegiate career at Auburn University. At Auburn, he earned SEC Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2000 and rushed for 1,567 yards on 324 carries, scoring 13 total touchdowns. Auburn called him "one of the best to ever wear the orange and blue." Before Auburn, Johnson played two seasons at Butler Community College in Kansas, leading the team to back-to-back national championships. In 2016, he was inducted into the National Junior College Athletic Association's Football Hall of Fame.
Johnson spent the majority of his NFL career with the Bengals, appearing in 81 games and starting 59. He became one of Cincinnati's most productive running backs, finishing with 5,742 rushing yards and 48 touchdowns, placing him among the franchise's all-time leaders. Johnson rushed for over 1,300 yards in three consecutive seasons, recording 12 touchdowns each year. His most notable season came in 2004, when he rushed for 1,454 yards and earned a Pro Bowl selection. He also helped the Bengals claim the 2005 AFC North title, although the team fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the wildcard playoff round.
Johnson played his final NFL season with the Detroit Lions in 2008, appearing in 14 games and rushing for 237 yards.
Off the field, Johnson dedicated himself to helping others through the Rudi Johnson Foundation, established in 2005. According to his mother, Janice, the organization sought to "share his blessings with family and children in order to enhance and stabilize their lives and to support learning opportunities for children that may not have been possible otherwise." His agent, Peter Schaffer, said, "Rudi lived his life in the service of others... His legacy will not be measured by statistics or accolades, but by the countless lives he touched and the love he gave so freely."
Bengals president Mike Brown remembered him as "a fine person and an excellent running back for us. 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."
Tributes from former teammates, including six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson, poured in on social media, with Ochocinco writing on X: "R.I.P Rudi Johnson."