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David Johnson, renowned for his 6,876 yards from scrimmage and 58 touchdowns across eight NFL seasons, has announced his retirement.
Retirement Announcement
Johnson, who last took the field in a regular-season game in 2022, made the announcement via Instagram on Sunday.
“I’m looking forward to my next career path in life,” he wrote in his post. “I don’t know exactly what that will be, but I hope it will bring me the same passion, excitement, and love as football did!”
Early Career Achievements
The Arizona Cardinals selected Johnson from Northern Iowa in the third round of the 2015 draft. After just two games in his NFL career, his jersey and cleats were sent to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Johnson made history by becoming the first player in NFL history to score a rushing touchdown, a receiving touchdown and a kickoff return touchdown in the first two games of a career.
“I am blessed and very appreciative of the Cardinals drafting me in the 3rd round and I started my NFL career hitting the ground running (literally)! 2 games in, getting my uniform and cleats put in the Pro football Hall of Fame in Canton,” he wrote in his post.
Record-Breaking Second Season
In his second season, Johnson led the NFL with 2,118 yards from scrimmage and 20 total touchdowns. This achievement earned him a spot on the first-team All-Pro and his only Pro Bowl selection. He ran for 1,239 yards that season, marking the only time he surpassed 1,000 rushing yards in his career.
Time with Texans and Saints
Johnson, 32, played five seasons with the Cardinals. The Cardinals traded him to the Texans in 2020 in exchange for wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who went to Arizona. He spent two seasons with the Texans and appeared in five games for the Saints in 2022.
Career Stats and Impact
Joshnson finished his career with 4,071 rushing yards and 2,805 receiving yards. Of his 58 touchdowns, 39 were rushing, 18 were receiving, and one was on a kickoff return. He scored 33 rushing touchdowns with the Cardinals, qualifying him for third in franchise history.
“When it’s all said and done, I hope I positively impacted at least 1 person on and off the field.” He wrote. “I hope I was able to pay it forward, from the countless people who guided and taught me the right way to go about business, and giving back with integrity and a humble demeanor!”
This report used information from ESPN.
