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Rudi Johnson

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Rudi Johnson

Burudi Ali Johnson (October 1, 1979 – September 23, 2025) was an American professional football player who was a running back for eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Cincinnati Bengals. He played college football for the Auburn Tigers and was selected by the Bengals in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL draft. Johnson was selected to the Pro Bowl with the Bengals in 2004 after leading the team in rushing. He employed a bruising style of hard-nosed running that earned him the nickname the "Auburn Rambler."

Infobox

Position
Running back
Born
(1979-10-01)October 1, 1979Ettrick, Virginia, U.S.
Died
September 23, 2025(2025-09-23) (aged 45)Miami-Dade County, Florida, U.S.
Height
5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight
225 lb (102 kg)
High school
Thomas Dale (Chester, Virginia)
College
Butler CC (1998–1999)Auburn (2000)
NFL draft
2001: 4th round, 100th overall pick
Rushing attempts
1,517
Rushing yards
5,979
Rushing touchdowns
49
Receptions
113
Receiving yards
676
Receiving touchdowns
2

Tables

Pre-draft measurables · Professional career
mw- .mw- .mw- .mw- 5 ft 9+5⁄8 in(1.77 m)
mw- .mw- .mw- .mw- 5 ft 9+5⁄8 in(1.77 m)
Height
mw- .mw- .mw- .mw- 5 ft 9+5⁄8 in(1.77 m)
Weight
227 lb(103 kg)
Arm length
30+1⁄2 in(0.77 m)
Hand span
9 in(0.23 m)
40-yard dash
4.57 s
10-yard split
1.60 s
20-yard split
2.56 s
20-yard shuttle
4.22 s
Three-cone drill
7.32 s
Vertical jump
37.5 in(0.95 m)
Broad jump
9 ft 11 in(3.02 m)
Bench press
24 reps
All values from NFL Combine
All values from NFL Combine
Height
All values from NFL Combine
Height
Weight
Arm length
Hand span
40-yard dash
10-yard split
20-yard split
20-yard shuttle
Three-cone drill
Vertical jump
Broad jump
Bench press
mw- .mw- 5 ft 9+5⁄8 in(1.77 m)
227 lb(103 kg)
30+1⁄2 in(0.77 m)
9 in(0.23 m)
4.57 s
1.60 s
2.56 s
4.22 s
7.32 s
37.5 in(0.95 m)
9 ft 11 in(3.02 m)
24 reps
All values from NFL Combine
· NFL career statistics
Bold
Bold
Legend
Bold
Legend
Career high
Legend
Bold
Career high
· NFL career statistics › Regular season
GP
GP
Year
GP
Team
GS
Games
Att
Games
Yds
Rushing
Avg
Rushing
Lng
Rushing
TD
Rushing
Rec
Rushing
Yds
Receiving
Avg
Receiving
Lng
Receiving
TD
2001
2001
Year
2001
Team
CIN
Games
2
Games
0
Rushing
0
Rushing
0
Rushing
0.0
Rushing
0
Rushing
0
Receiving
0
Receiving
0
Receiving
0.0
Receiving
0
Receiving
0
2002
2002
Year
2002
Team
CIN
Games
7
Games
0
Rushing
17
Rushing
67
Rushing
3.9
Rushing
13
Rushing
0
Receiving
6
Receiving
34
Receiving
5.7
Receiving
14
Receiving
0
2003
2003
Year
2003
Team
CIN
Games
13
Games
5
Rushing
215
Rushing
957
Rushing
4.5
Rushing
54
Rushing
9
Receiving
21
Receiving
146
Receiving
7.0
Receiving
17
Receiving
0
2004
2004
Year
2004
Team
CIN
Games
16
Games
16
Rushing
361
Rushing
1,454
Rushing
4.0
Rushing
52
Rushing
12
Receiving
15
Receiving
84
Receiving
5.6
Receiving
30
Receiving
0
2005
2005
Year
2005
Team
CIN
Games
16
Games
14
Rushing
337
Rushing
1,458
Rushing
4.3
Rushing
33
Rushing
12
Receiving
23
Receiving
90
Receiving
3.9
Receiving
15
Receiving
0
2006
2006
Year
2006
Team
CIN
Games
16
Games
15
Rushing
341
Rushing
1,309
Rushing
3.8
Rushing
22
Rushing
12
Receiving
23
Receiving
124
Receiving
5.4
Receiving
18
Receiving
0
2007
2007
Year
2007
Team
CIN
Games
11
Games
9
Rushing
170
Rushing
497
Rushing
2.9
Rushing
22
Rushing
3
Receiving
13
Receiving
110
Receiving
8.5
Receiving
33
Receiving
1
2008
2008
Year
2008
Team
DET
Games
14
Games
4
Rushing
76
Rushing
237
Rushing
3.1
Rushing
27
Rushing
1
Receiving
12
Receiving
88
Receiving
7.3
Receiving
34
Receiving
1
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
95
63
1,517
5,979
3.9
54
49
113
676
6.0
34
2
· NFL career statistics › Playoffs
GP
GP
Year
GP
Team
GS
Games
Att
Games
Yds
Rushing
Avg
Rushing
Lng
Rushing
TD
Rushing
Rec
Rushing
Yds
Receiving
Avg
Receiving
Lng
Receiving
TD
2005
2005
Year
2005
Team
CIN
Games
1
Games
1
Rushing
13
Rushing
56
Rushing
4.3
Rushing
20
Rushing
1
Receiving
2
Receiving
14
Receiving
7.0
Receiving
11
Receiving
0
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
1
1
13
56
4.3
20
1
2
14
7.0
11
0

References

  1. Pro Football Reference
    https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JohnRu00.htm
  2. BBC Sport
    https://www.bbc.com/sport/american-football/articles/cp987d0xn4eo
  3. Chesterfield.gov
    https://www.chesterfield.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=6184&ARC=16436
  4. The Progress-Index
    https://www.progress-index.com/story/sports/high-school/cross-country/2018/02/10/thomas-dale-s-ring-champions/15171343007/?gnt-cfr=1
  5. Pro Football Reference
    https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/O/OxenKe00.htm
  6. Pro Football Reference
    https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HendWi00.htm
  7. Butler Grizzlies
    https://www.butlergrizzlies.com/sports/fball/National_Players_of_the_Year
  8. NJCAA
    https://njcaa.org/sports/fball/2015-16/releases/-8-24-16-_2015_FOOT_HOF
  9. Sports Reference
    https://web.archive.org/web/20141006105658/http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/rudi-johnson-1.html
  10. New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/17/sports/football/two-backs-from-auburn-embody-the-depth-in-the-draft.html
  11. NFLDraftScout.com
    https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=958&DraftYear=2001
  12. Pro Football Reference
    https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2001/draft.htm
  13. Pro Football Reference
    https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/cin/2001.htm
  14. Pro Football Reference
    https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/cin/2002.htm
  15. Pro Football Reference
    https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200311090cin.htm
  16. Pro Football Reference
    https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200312140cin.htm
  17. Pro Football Reference
    https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JohnRu00/gamelog/2003/
  18. Pro Football Reference
    https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200411280cin.htm
  19. Pro Football Reference
    https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200501020phi.htm
  20. Pro Football Reference
    https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JohnRu00/gamelog/2004/
  21. Pro Football Reference
    https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2004/probowl.htm
  22. Pro Football Reference
    https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200512110cin.htm
  23. Pro Football Reference
    https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/cin/2005.htm
  24. Pro Football Reference
    https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2005/index.htm
  25. Pro Football Reference
    https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/cin/index.htm
  26. Pro Football Reference
    https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JohnRu00/gamelog/2005/
  27. Pro Football Reference
    https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200601080cin.htm
  28. Pro Football Reference
    https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200609170cin.htm
  29. Pro Football Reference
    https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JohnRu00/gamelog/2006/
  30. Pro Football Reference
    https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JohnRu00/gamelog/2007/
  31. "Bengals Shopping Rudi Johnson"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20080901192244/http://www.sportsnet.ca/thewire/football/nfl/2008/08/26/bengals_shopping_rudi/
  32. Lewis: Rudi Johnson trade talk 'a rumor'
    http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080826/SPT02/308260039
  33. Rudi: I'll be gone 'any minute'
    http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080827/SPT02/808270368/1066
  34. ESPN.com
    https://www.espn.com/nfl/trainingcamp08/news/story?id=3561014
  35. mlive.com
    https://www.mlive.com/lions/2008/09/rudi_johnson_signs_with_lions.html
  36. ESPN.com
    https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=3567561
  37. Pro Football Reference
    https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JohnRu00/gamelog/2008/
  38. "2006 MMHMF Honoree Mrs. Janice Johnson"
    http://www.mmhmf.org/honorees/honoreebio.php?HonoreeID=n58a9fae118aa5a
  39. "A Message From James"
    http://www.piascik.com/sites/default/files/news-files/James%20Brochure.PDF
  40. "Cincinnati Bengal Gets Boost from Xavier Students for New Clark Montessori Football Program"
    http://www.xavier.edu/campusuite25/modules/news.cfm?news_id=4942&grp_id=319&archive=yes
  41. CNN
    https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/23/sport/football-nfl-rudi-johnson-dead
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