Cardinals’ David Johnson named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month
Jan 7, 2016, 8:19 AM
Arizona Cardinals running back David Johnson (31) celebrates after an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers, Sunday, Dec. 27, 2015, in Glendale, Ariz. The Cardinals won 38-8. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Arizona Cardinals running back David Johnson was named the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Month for December/January Thursday.
The third-round pick out of Northern Iowa led the league with 658 yards from scrimmage during that span and was the only player to have more than 400 yards rushing (442) and 200 receiving yards (216) in those five weeks.
In his second start at running back, Johnson rushed for 187 yards and three touchdowns on 29 carries in a 40-17 win over the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 15. The yardage total was the fourth-highest single-game output in the league this season and Johnson was the only player in the NFL to have a game with 150 or more rushing yards and three touchdowns.
Johnson finished the regular season with 1,636 all-purpose yards, which ranked eighth overall and third among rookies. He also had 13 total touchdowns, which tied for second-most in the league.
He’s the third Cardinals player to win an Offensive Rookie of the Month Award, joining Anquan Boldin (who did it twice in 2003) and Jake Plummer (1997).
Johnson joins Tennessee quarterback Marcus Mariota (September), St. Louis running back Todd Gurley (October) and Tampa Bay quarterback Jameis Winston (November) as monthly winners.
