Bengals football fans were devastated to learn of the news that one of the team’s greatest running backs, Rudi Johnson, unexpectedly died in his home state of Florida in the early morning hours of Tuesday, September 23. Realtor.com says police concluded Johnson’s cause of death was suicide.
The athlete played in the NFL for eight seasons after being drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2001. He was a fourth-round pick. Prior to his NFL career, Johnson was a star running back at Auburn University.
He retired after the 2008 season, which he spent playing for the Detroit Lions.
WTVR says Johnson left behind an inspiring message. “I just want to say dream big, shoot for the stars, stay focused, never give up,” he told fans as he was inducted into the Chesterfield Hall of Fame earlier in September.
Bengals Release Statement After Rudi Johnson’s Death
The Bengals released a statement on their official website saying the team is mourning Johnson’s loss, calling the Pro Bowler one of “the top rushers in franchise history.”
The statement looked back on some of Johnson’s top achievements, saying he “stands fourth on the Bengals’ all-time rushing list with 5742 yards and holds the team’s record for most rushing yards in a season with 1458 in 2005. He also holds the No. 2 spot on the single-season rushing list with 1454 yards in his 2004 Pro Bowl season, and he ranks third in team history with 48 career rushing touchdowns.”
The team’s president, Mike Brown, called the player “a fine person and an excellent running back.” He went on, “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.”
GettyRudi Johnson Was Possibly Suffering CTE Before His Death
TMZ says they learned from a family source the football star was struggling with “the possible effects of CTE that he could not overcome.” The source also said “Johnson was doing everything he could to help people on and off the field, and that’s what mattered most to him,” per the report.
WEbMD says CTE stands for chronic traumatic encephalopathy. The site calls it “a brain disease caused by repeated head injuries that may include concussions.” Football and ice hockey are some of the most common sports to see players affected, according to the description, and it occurs from cumulative damage.
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