Larry Johnson Biography
Early years
Johnson showed promise at a young age. Growing up in Charles County, Maryland, he was a standout linebacker/defensive end and running back for the La Plata Blue Knights. At State College Area High School in State College, Pennsylvania, he rushed for 2,159 yards. As a defensive end for the Little Lions, he recorded seven sacks and 31.0 tackles.
College career
Johnson attended Penn State University where in 2002, he rushed for over 2,000 yards in a season without winning the Heisman Trophy, despite doing so with fewer carries than any other running back in the exclusive 2,000 yard club. Johnson's 8.02 yards per carry broke 1983 Heisman Trophy winner Mike Rozier's NCAA record for highest average per carry over the course of the regular season. Remarkably, Johnson broke the Penn State record for rushing yards in a game three times in 2002. His 257 yards in a 49-0 home thrashing of Northwestern broke Curt Warner's previous record of 256 yards set against Syracuse in 1981. Johnson then went on to rack up 279 yards in an 18-7 home win against Illinois and 327 yards in a 58-25 road win against Indiana. Johnson surpassed the 2,000 mark by gaining 279 yards on just 19 attempts in the Nittany Lions' final Big Ten conference game against Michigan State. Fans in attendance at Beaver Stadium that day were mesmerized as Johnson gained all 279 of his rushing yards in the first half; he was kept on the bench for the entire second half of the game out of respect for the over-matched opponent.
Penn State fans were outraged when Johnson did not win the 2002 Heisman Trophy, leading many of them to believe that the snubbing of the undefeated 1994 team in the national championship balloting and Johnson in 2002 evidenced a media-bias against Penn State. Others believe that Penn State's failure to hype and promote Johnson's Heisman campaign in 2002 had more to do with his failure to take home the Heisman Trophy than any media bias against Penn State. Penn State coach Joe Paterno emphasises the team over individual players and does not allow Penn State to engage in Heisman Trophy marketing campaigns for his players.
Johnson, however, did win the Doak Walker Award (top running back), the Maxwell Award (top college player), and Walter Camp Award (top college player) after his impressive 2002 season.
He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Integrative Arts from Penn State in 2002.
NFL career
Johnson was drafted in the first round with the 27th overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft as insurance for the Chiefs, who were not sure if Priest Holmes would be healthy or even sign a contract extension. Johnson was drafted over the objection of coach Dick Vermeil, who wanted to select a defensive player.
The conflicts between Johnson and Vermeil grew, and in 2004 Vermeil said that Johnson needed to grow up and "take the diapers off." Johnson took great offense to this comment, and the public estrangement led to rumors that he would be traded. However, towards the end of the 2004 season, Johnson got an opportunity to start after injuries to Priest Holmes and Derrick Blaylock. He became the first player to begin his career rushing for 150 yards in each of his first three games.
Facing the same situation in 2005, with Blaylock gone and Holmes having gone down with a season-ending neck injury in early November, Johnson stepped up, and on November 20 against the Houston Texans ran for a Chiefs' record 211 rushing yards and two touchdowns. He led the league in rushing yards and touchdowns after the injury to Holmes.
At the end of the 2005 regular season, Johnson had nine consecutive games with 100+ rushing yards, passing the 100 yard mark in every start for the Chiefs that season and earning a Pro Bowl berth.[4] During the final game of the 2005 regular season, Johnson set a new franchise record of 1,750 rushing yards in one season, despite not starting 7 games during the season. He eclipsed the mark previously held by Holmes. In addition to his running ability, Johnson was an adept receiver. In 2005, Johnson caught 33 balls for 343 yards, averaging over 10 yards per reception. Johnson was also named the 2005 MVP of the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs' record in 2005 was 10-6, not making the playoffs in spite of a winning record.
With injuries limiting Holmes during the last two seasons, Johnson began the 2006 season as Kansas City's featured back. He rushed for 1,789 yards (second in the league) on 416 carries, an NFL record for most carries in a season. The Chiefs would make an appearance in the playoffs with a 9-7 record, where Johnson ran for a lowly 30 yards on 13 carries against the Indianapolis Colts. At the conclusion of the season, Johnson would make his second Pro Bowl appearance for his efforts.
On June 21, 2007 Johnson stated that he was willing to sit out the Chiefs' training camp unless he and the Chiefs reach an agreement on a new contract. On July 22, rumors spread about the elite running back possibly being traded to the Green Bay Packers. The initial asking price was a first- second- and third-round pick. However, on August 21, Johnson and the Chiefs' agreed to a five-year contract extension that locks Johnson with the Chiefs through the 2012 season. As a result of this extension, Johnson is now the highest-paid running back in the NFL based on average salary per year. His new contract covers six years and will pay him $45 million, with $19 million in guaranteed money - the biggest contract in Chiefs history.