Hall of Fame Running Back John Henry Johnson Was One of Football's Greatest Power Runners

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A bruising, hard-nosed fullback, John Henry Johnson enjoyed a remarkable 13-year NFL career, plus one season in the Canadian Football League, while playing for three NFL franchises. Johnson first starred at St. Mary’s College in California, earning a reputation as one of the nation’s toughest runners. When St. Mary’s unexpectedly dropped its football program, he transferred to Arizona State, where he completed his college career and further established himself as an NFL prospect.

Selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round of the 1953 NFL Draft, Johnson instead signed with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. John Henry Johnson had an impressive season in Calgary averaging 6 yards a carry rushing for a team-high 648 yards and 5 rushing touchdowns. In addition to running the ball, he caught 33 passes for another 365 yards and 3 touchdowns, Returned kicks and punts and even played in the defensive backfield intercepting 5 passes.

After one season in Canada, he returned to the NFL in 1954 with the San Francisco 49ers, where he joined future Pro Football Hall of Famers Hugh McElhenny, Joe Perry, and quarterback Y.A. Tittle in the legendary “Million Dollar Backfield”—one of the most celebrated offensive backfields in NFL history. 1954 was his best as a 49er rushing for 681 yards and 9 scores earning him a spot in the Pro Bowl.

After suffering a shoulder injury in 1956, he was traded to the Detroit Lions in 1957. He would be the Lions top runner with 621 yards while Detroit would claims the NFL Title after a blistering 59-14 win over Cleveland. In 1959, he missed a plane ride home following a loss to the 49ers and was suspended indefinitely by the Lions. The incident coincided with developing legal problems after alleged missed alimony payments to an ex-wife. John Henry Johnson found himself traded to Pittsburgh by 1960.

At age 31 he joined former Lions Bobby Layne and Tom Tracy in Pittsburgh where he would enjoy the most productive phase of his career. In 6 seasons as a Steeler, he would earn 3 Pro Bowls and become the franchise’s first Thousand Yard rusher in 1962 with a 1141 yard effort. He would do it again in 1964 with 1048 yards. He would end his career with the Houston Oilers in 1966 and be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987.

Image Gallery of John Henry Johnson, Running Back/Receiver 1958-1968

John Henry Johnson spent 3 seasons in San Francisco, making the Pro Bowl in 1954.

Steelers Great John Henry Johnson spent 6 good years in Pittsburgh, becoming the first Steelers running back to rush for 1000+ yards in a single season.

Redskin Paul Krause makes an attempt to stop Steelers fullback John Henry Johnson

Steelers lineman get between a defender and running back John Henry Johnson

Big John Baker and George Stugar close in on Steelers Hall of Famer John Henry Johnson in some Ram-Steelers from 1961.

Giants and Steelers in 1963 - Sam Huff and Dick Pesonen bring down Steelers runner John Henry Johnson. Giant #22 is cornerback Dick Lynch.

Steelers veteran quarterback Bobby Layne is swarmed by the Cardinals defense here. Not sure when this picture was but we can assume it's from sometime during the early 1960s. Other Steelers are #62 - guard Mike Sandusky and #35 - John Henry Johnson.

George Blanda left the NFL in 1958 and after joining the American Football League led Houston to 2 league championships in 1960 and 1961 and a 3rd straight appearance in 1962. Here he is in 1966, his last season in Houston before joining Oakland in 1967. #77 is tackle Rich Michael and #35 could very well be former NFL great John Henry Johnson.

1961 New York Giants Defense in action against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Dick Lynch (#22), Rosey Grier (#76) & Sam Huff (#70) swarm over the Steelers Hall of Fame runner John Henry Johnson - recognizable only by the number on his helmet. Also shown are the Giants Cliff Livingston (#89) and the Steelers Dan James (#55). The unidentified Giant behind Grier may be Dick Nolan (#25).

Probably from the mid-1960s, Steelers versus Giants. Running back John Henry Johnson runs past the blocking of offensive lineman Charlie Bradshaw.

John Henry Johnson Football Cards

John Henry Johnson All-Time Career Statistics

Rushing & Receiving Table
						Rushing					Receivng					Total Scrimmage				Fumbles
Season	Age	Team	#	Games	Starts	Carries	Yards	Y/A	Long	TD	Catches	Yards	Y/R	Long	TD	Touches	Y/Tch	YScm	TDs	Fumbles
1954*	25	SFO	35	12	11	129	681	5.3	38	9	28	183	6.5	34	0	157	5.5	864	9	5
1955	26	SFO	35	7	3	19	69	3.6	12	1	2	6	3.0	11	0	21	3.6	75	1	0
1956	27	SFO	35	12	6	80	301	3.8	54	2	8	90	11.3	28	0	88	4.4	391	2	1
1957	28	DET♚	35	12	10	129	621	4.8	62	5	20	141	7.1	16	0	149	5.1	762	5	9
1958	29	DET	35	9	8	56	254	4.5	19	0	7	60	8.6	18	0	63	5.0	314	0	3
1959	30	DET	35	10	2	82	270	3.3	39	2	7	34	4.9	18	1	89	3.4	304	3	4
1960	31	PIT	35	12	10	118	621	5.3	87♦	2	12	112	9.3	26	1	130	5.6	733	3	5
1961	32	PIT	35	14	12	213	787	3.7	44	6	24	262	10.9	51	1	237	4.4	1049	7	7
1962*	33	PIT	35	14	14	251	1141	4.5	40	7	32	226	7.1	18	2	283	4.8	1367	9	5
1963*	34	PIT	35	12	11	186	773	4.2	48	4	21	145	6.9	26	1	207	4.4	918	5	5
1964*	35	PIT	35	14	14	235	1048	4.5	45	7	17	69	4.1	21	1	252	4.4	1117	8	4
1965	36	PIT	35	1	1	3	11	3.7	7	0	0	0			0	3	3.7	11	0	0
1966	37	HOU	35	14	4	70	226	3.2	33	3	8	150	18.8	53	0	78	4.8	376	3	0

6 Seasons Steelers				67	62	1006	4381	4.4	87	26	106	814	7.7	51	6	1112	4.7	5195	32	26
3 Seasons Lions				31	20	267	1145	4.3	62	7	34	235	6.9	18	1	301	4.6	1380	8	16
3 Seasons 49ers				31	20	228	1051	4.6	54	12	38	279	7.3	34	0	266	5.0	1330	12	6
1 Season Oilers				14	4	70	226	3.2	33	3	8	150	18.8	53	0	78	4.8	376	3	0
13 Year NFL Career				143	106	1571	6803	4.3	87	48	186	1478	7.9	53	7	1757	4.7	8281	55	48

Post Season Rushing & Receiving Table
				Rushing					Receiving					Scrimmage Totals				Fumbles
Season	Age	Team	Games	Carries	Yards	Y/A	Long	TD	Catches	Yards	Y/R	Long	TD	Touches	Y/Tch	YScm	RRTD	Fumbles
1957	28	DET♚	2	12	54	4.5	19	0	1	16	16.0	16	0	13	5.4	70	0	1
Post Season Totals			2	12	54	4.5	19	0	1	16	16.0	16	0	13	5.4	70	0	1

Passing Table
Season	Age	Team	Games	Att	Comp	Cmp%	Yards	Long	Y/A	TD	Int	Rate
1954	25	SFO	12	2	1	50.0	10	10	5.0	1	0	104.2

1960	31	PIT	12	1	1	100.0	15	15	15.0	1	0	158.3
1961	32	PIT	14	2	0	0.0	0		0.0	0	1	0.0

6 Seasons Steelers			67	3	1	33.3	15	15	5.0	1	1	50.7
3 Seasons 49ers			31	2	1	50.0	10	10	5.0	1	0	104.2
13 Year NFL Career			143	5	2	40.0	25	15	5.0	2	1	56.2