Pete Johnson (American football)
Encyclopedia
Pete Johnson is a former college
and professional
American football
running back
. He spent 8 seasons in the NFL, primarily with the Cincinnati Bengals
. Before his NFL career, Johnson played for the Ohio State
Buckeyes
.
was injured and converted linebacker Bruce Elia
was named to start in Henson's place. By the end of that season, however, freshman fullback Pete Johnson had worked his way up the depth chart. In 1974, Elia returned to the linebacker corps and Henson and Johnson alternated at fullback.
Although tailback Archie Griffin
got most of the carries from 1972 to 1975, the Ohio State fullbacks still got the ball frequently and were expected to be major contributors, particularly in short-yardage situations. In 1972 the teams leading scorer was Henson, and in 1973 it was Elia. Johnson's best season was in 1975. Even though Griffin led the team with 1,450 rushing yards, Johnson still rushed for 1,059 yards and set single OSU single season records for rushing touchdowns (25) and scoring (156 points).
One of Johnson's more notable performances was a game against the University of North Carolina
in 1975. While Griffin rushed for 157 yards, Johnson rushed for 148 yards and set a school record with five touchdowns. Johnson finished his career at Ohio State with 2,308 rushing yards and a school record 58 touchdowns. His 348 points was also a Buckeyes record until surpassed by kicker Mike Nugent
's 356 points in 2004.
In 2000, Johnson was selected for the Ohio State Football All-Century Team
. On September 8, 2007, during halftime of the Ohio State vs Akron Game, Johnson was inducted into Ohio State's Athletics Hall of Fame.
selection. Johnson set career highs in rushing (1,077 yards), receptions(46), receiving yards(320) and touchdowns(16), assisting the team to a 12-4 record. In the postseason, Johnson helped the team record their first ever playoff win by rushing for 45 yards, catching 3 passes for 23 yards, and scoring a touchdown in the team's 28-21 divisional victory over the Buffalo Bills
. Then in the AFC title game(known in NFL Lore as the Freezer Bowl
), Johnson rushed for 80 yards and a touchdown, while also catching a 14-yard reception as the team defeated the San Diego Chargers
27-7 to earn their first ever Super Bowl
appearance. However, the team lost Super Bowl XVI
to the San Francisco 49ers
26-21, and Johnson was limited to just 36 rushing yards and 8 receiving yards in the game.
In 1984, Johnson was traded to the Chargers in exchange for running back James Brooks
. He left Cincinnati as their all-time leader in rushing yards(5,421), touchdowns(70), and their second all-time leading scorer with 420 points. Johnson spent the first 3 games of the 1984 season with Chargers and spent the final 13 games with Miami before retiring after the season ended.
In his 8 NFL seasons, Johnson rushed for 5,626 yards, caught 175 passes for 1,334 yards, and scored 82 touchdowns (76 rushing and 6 receiving).
Johnson claimed to have no knowledge of the criminal case when contacted on Jan. 18 by the Daily Citizen. His attorney, Alfred J. Weisbrod of Dayton, repeated the claim in court after entering a "not guilty" plea.
Johnson had been previously charged with passing bad checks as a felony in Franklin County in December 1999, but that case was dismissed.
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
and professional
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
. He spent 8 seasons in the NFL, primarily with the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
. Before his NFL career, Johnson played for the Ohio State
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
Buckeyes
Ohio State Buckeyes
The Ohio State Buckeyes are the intercollegiate sports teams and players of The Ohio State University, named after the state tree, the Buckeye. The Buckeyes participate in the NCAA's Division I in all sports and the Big Ten Conference in most sports...
.
College career
Johnson played fullback for Ohio State from 1973 through 1976. In 1973, starting fullback Champ HensonChamp Henson
Harold R. "Champ" Henson, III is a former college and professional American football fullback.Henson attended the Ohio State University where he led the nation in scoring as a sophomore in 1972. In the second game of the 1973 season, however, Henson tore the cartilage his knee and was out for the...
was injured and converted linebacker Bruce Elia
Bruce Elia
Bruce Louis Elia is a former college and professional American football player. In college, Elia played on both the offensive and defensive teams for the Ohio State Buckeyes...
was named to start in Henson's place. By the end of that season, however, freshman fullback Pete Johnson had worked his way up the depth chart. In 1974, Elia returned to the linebacker corps and Henson and Johnson alternated at fullback.
Although tailback Archie Griffin
Archie Griffin
Archie Mason Griffin is a former American football running back. Griffin played seven seasons in the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals. He is college football's only two-time Heisman Trophy winner...
got most of the carries from 1972 to 1975, the Ohio State fullbacks still got the ball frequently and were expected to be major contributors, particularly in short-yardage situations. In 1972 the teams leading scorer was Henson, and in 1973 it was Elia. Johnson's best season was in 1975. Even though Griffin led the team with 1,450 rushing yards, Johnson still rushed for 1,059 yards and set single OSU single season records for rushing touchdowns (25) and scoring (156 points).
One of Johnson's more notable performances was a game against the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
in 1975. While Griffin rushed for 157 yards, Johnson rushed for 148 yards and set a school record with five touchdowns. Johnson finished his career at Ohio State with 2,308 rushing yards and a school record 58 touchdowns. His 348 points was also a Buckeyes record until surpassed by kicker Mike Nugent
Mike Nugent
Mike Nugent is an American football placekicker for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
's 356 points in 2004.
In 2000, Johnson was selected for the Ohio State Football All-Century Team
Ohio State Football All-Century Team
The Ohio State Football All-Century Team was chosen in early 2000 by the Touchdown Club of Columbus. It was selected to honor the greatest Ohio State Buckeyes football players of the 20th century...
. On September 8, 2007, during halftime of the Ohio State vs Akron Game, Johnson was inducted into Ohio State's Athletics Hall of Fame.
NFL career
A superb rusher and blocker, Johnson excelled at running back for the Bengals. He was the team's leading rusher for all 7 seasons he played for them, and scored 12 or more rushing touchdowns in 3 different seasons. His best season was in 1981, where he made his only pro bowlPro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
selection. Johnson set career highs in rushing (1,077 yards), receptions(46), receiving yards(320) and touchdowns(16), assisting the team to a 12-4 record. In the postseason, Johnson helped the team record their first ever playoff win by rushing for 45 yards, catching 3 passes for 23 yards, and scoring a touchdown in the team's 28-21 divisional victory over the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Then in the AFC title game(known in NFL Lore as the Freezer Bowl
Freezer Bowl
In NFL lore, the Freezer Bowl was the 1981 AFC Championship Game between the San Diego Chargers and the Cincinnati Bengals. The game was played in the coldest temperature in NFL history in terms of wind chill...
), Johnson rushed for 80 yards and a touchdown, while also catching a 14-yard reception as the team defeated the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
27-7 to earn their first ever Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
appearance. However, the team lost Super Bowl XVI
Super Bowl XVI
Super Bowl XVI was an American football game played on January 24, 1982, at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan to decide the National Football League champion following the 1981 regular season. It marked the first time that a Super Bowl was held at a cold-weather city...
to the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
26-21, and Johnson was limited to just 36 rushing yards and 8 receiving yards in the game.
In 1984, Johnson was traded to the Chargers in exchange for running back James Brooks
James Brooks (American football player)
James Brooks is a retired NFL football running back.-High school and college career:His young career started with success in elementary school. He led the Warner Robins High School Demons to a State championship and a National Championship ranking in 1976...
. He left Cincinnati as their all-time leader in rushing yards(5,421), touchdowns(70), and their second all-time leading scorer with 420 points. Johnson spent the first 3 games of the 1984 season with Chargers and spent the final 13 games with Miami before retiring after the season ended.
In his 8 NFL seasons, Johnson rushed for 5,626 yards, caught 175 passes for 1,334 yards, and scored 82 touchdowns (76 rushing and 6 receiving).
Drug use
In 1983, he and another Bengals player testified in exchange for immunity from prosecution that they had purchased cocaine from a Cincinnati plumber and he was suspended by the NFL for four games. In 1987, he was indicted by a federal grand jury on four cocaine-related charges and at the time of his indictment was selling cars in Miami, according to the New York Times archive. He was found not guilty by a Columbus jury in February 1988.Check fraud
Pete Johnson, 53, of Columbus, was indicted by a Champaign County grand jury Dec. 17, 2007, on one count of passing bad checks and one count of grand theft of a motor vehicle. He did not appear for two previously-scheduled arraignment hearings on Jan. 4 and Jan. 22.Johnson claimed to have no knowledge of the criminal case when contacted on Jan. 18 by the Daily Citizen. His attorney, Alfred J. Weisbrod of Dayton, repeated the claim in court after entering a "not guilty" plea.
Johnson had been previously charged with passing bad checks as a felony in Franklin County in December 1999, but that case was dismissed.