KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Derrick Johnson has hardly followed the typical path for an NFL linebacker.
He was a first-round draft pick out of Texas, then got benched when he fell out of favor with the Kansas City Chiefs’ coaching staff. A new regime and renewed motivation got him back on the field. Rock steady, he has become the franchise’s career tackles leader.
All of that while enduring two season-ending injuries to his Achilles tendons.
The first occurred one game into the 2014 season, sidelining the four-time Pro Bowler for the rest of the year. The second happened last December against Oakland, so late in the year that some questioned whether Johnson would be back this season.