The Auburn Tigers football program just received some devastating news as reports have surfaced that former star running back Rudi Johnson has tragically passed away at the age of 45.
Johnson spent 1 season with the Tigers as a part of their 2000 SEC West-winning squad, and was the focal point of their offense, racking up 1,637 total yards and 13 total touchdowns en route to being named SEC Offensive Player of the Year and finishing top-10 in Heisman voting.
Following this stellar season with Auburn, he was drafted in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals, where he spent the first 7 of his 8 years as a pro.
Johnson really blossomed between the 2004 and 2006 seasons for the Bengals, racking up at least 1,450 scrimmage yards and 12 total touchdowns in each of these campaigns, and being named to the Pro Bowl in 2004.
Injuries led to a decline in his production over the next few seasons, and he ultimately retired following a 1 year stint with the Detroit Tigers in 2008.
The exact cause of his death is unknown as of right now, but TMZ also reported that Johnson had been struggling with mental health in recent years, and some around him believed that he was suffering from some effects of CTE.
Whatever the cause may be, though, it’s clear that Johnson was taken far too soon, and he will undoubtedly be missed greatly by his friends, family, teammates, and all the fans who watched him on Saturdays and Sundays.
