Arizona Cardinals RB Chris Johnson back on the field, eyeing a Super Bowl return

TEMPE, Ariz. – It’s not often a former NFL 2,000-yard rusher is running scout team for that week’s opponent.

In fact, it may have never happened before.

Until Tuesday, of course.

When the Arizona Cardinals hit the field for their first practice in preparation of their divisional matchup against Green Bay, there was Chris Johnson, who rushed for 2,006 yards in 2009, doing his best Eddie Lacy-James Starks impersonation.

“It’s a little unrealistic because I don’t think they have a back that can move like that,” linebacker Sean Weatherspoon said, smiling. “He definitely made us stay at home today.

“One thing Green Bay does well is they stretch you out with their run, they want you working lateral, and then Eddie Lacy tries to stick his foot in the ground (to cutback) and Chris does that better than anybody in football so we got a great look at it; getting you started one way and then getting it downhill.”

For Johnson, it was his first time on the field since his season was halted by a left leg injury in Week 12 at San Francisco.

“It felt good out there. Actually, it felt better than I thought it was going to feel,” he said. “I kind of surprised myself today.”

The only negative, Johnson admitted, was his conditioning.

“Tired. Tired,” he repeated, pausing slightly.

That will come with time, which Johnson has.

Placed on the injured reserve/designated to return list Dec. 1, Johnson, who suffered a fractured tibia, is eligible to practice but not yet play, at least not until the Super Bowl, should the Cardinals make it that far.

“When we finally make it to that big game and then I come to practice knowing I’m getting ready to play in this game, then it will all hit me that I’m back,” he said. “But now, it’s still a process working my way back.”

Despite missing the final month of the regular season, Johnson led the Cardinals in rushing with 814 yards this season.

Four times he topped the 100-yard mark in a game, becoming the first Cardinals running back to achieve such a feat in 30 years.

Johnson’s efforts were recognized by his peers as he was selected as an alternate to the Pro Bowl.

“It’s definitely an asset to have Chris. I mean the guy has won rushing titles, (was an) all-pro, 2,000 yards,” Weatherspoon said. “He obviously played lights out for us this year, and we just hope that we can continue to do what we need to do to keep his 2016 playing career open.”

For that to happen, of course, the Cardinals need to beat Green Bay and then win the NFC Championship Game.

All of which means Johnson is a spectator for at least another two weeks.

“Through this whole process, at the beginning it was real tough,” he said, “but I think the toughest part of the whole situation is me going out there and practicing and feeling good and then come Sunday and I can’t suit up, sitting on the sideline and stuff like that. I think that’s going to be the tough part.”

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