David Johnson

David Jerome Johnson Sr., born on December 16, 1991, in Clinton, IA, embarked on a notable athletic career that began in high school as a three-sport star in football, track, and basketball at Clinton High School. He excelled as a running back and defensive back, setting multiple school records for touchdowns, receptions, receiving yards, and total offense. Following a successful high school tenure, he committed to the University of Northern Iowa after receiving scholarship offers from Northern Iowa and Illinois State, turning down opportunities from Iowa and Iowa State.

At the University of Northern Iowa from 2010 to 2014, Johnson redshirted in 2010 before making a significant impact. In his redshirt freshman year in 2011, he played in 13 games with five starts, accumulating 822 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns, alongside 422 receiving yards and three touchdowns. His college career was marked by consistent performance, including rushing for over 1,000 yards in his sophomore and junior seasons, and setting school records for career rushing yards, career rushing touchdowns, and career all-purpose yards. By his senior year, he had rushed for 1,553 yards and 17 touchdowns, demonstrating the versatility that would define his professional career.

Johnson was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the third round (86th overall) of the 2015 NFL Draft. During his time with the Cardinals from 2015 to 2019, he quickly rose to prominence, culminating in a stellar 2016 season where he earned Pro Bowl and First-team All-Pro honors. He recorded 2,118 scrimmage yards and 20 total touchdowns, showcasing his dual-threat ability as both a runner and a receiver. After five seasons with the Cardinals, he was traded to the Houston Texans in 2020, where he played for two years before joining the New Orleans Saints in 2022. He announced his retirement from professional football in May 2024, concluding an impactful eight-season NFL career.