Former Cincinnati Bengals star running back RB Rudi Johnson has died. He was 45. TMZ shared the news Tuesday morning, noting a cause of death currently isn’t known. Per the outlet, Johnson was struggling with “mental health issues” that were possibly related to CTE suffered during his eight-year NFL career.
A fourth round pick of the Bengals in 2001, Johnson appeared in 95 games and made 63 starts. He had an elite stretch from 2004-2006, rushing for 1,300-yards all three seasons. He made the Pro Bowl in 2004 after rushing for 1,454 yards and 12 touchdowns.