Former Auburn, NFL star Rudi Johnson dead at 45

Former Auburn and NFL star Rudi Johnson has died at the age of 45, according to TMZ Sports. The cause of death is not yet known, per the report.

TMZ Sports reported that Johnson recently struggled with mental health issues. Prior to his death, he “was doing everything he could to help people on and off the field … and that’s what mattered most to him.”

Johnson played eight seasons in the NFL from 2001-08, notably for the Cincinnati Bengals during the first seven years of his career. He was a Pro Bowler in 2004 and finished the final season of his career with the Detroit Lions.

Over the course of his career, Johnson ran the ball 1,517 times for 5,979 yards, 49 touchdowns, 3.9 yards per carry, 113 catches, 676 receiving yards and two touchdown receptions. A Virginia native, he attended Butler Community College from 1998-99 before going to Auburn in 2000 prior to his NFL career.

Rudi Johnson dies at 45 years old

Johnson’s peak as a pro came from 2004-06, where he scored 12 touchdowns each season and ran for over 1,300 yards each of those seasons. In his lone playoff game in 2005, Johnson ran 13 times for 56 yards and a touchdown, a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Johnson stood out at Auburn during his lone season and it led him to being a fourth round pick in 2001. He was the SEC Player of the Year in 2000 and First-Team All-SEC.

With the Tigers, Johnson ran 324 times for 1,567 yards, 13 touchdowns and 4.8 yards per carry. He also finished top 10 in the Heisman Trophy voting process.

Off the field, Johnson established the Rudi Johnson Foundation in 2005. The foundation provides assistance to families and children to promote self-sufficiency and incorporates several community based programs. The foundation ended up funding the first football team for Clark Montessouri High School in Cincinnati, Ohio.