David Johnson’s historic 2016 season: By the Numbers
Jan 2, 2017, 10:37 AM | Updated: 4:47 pm
Arizona Cardinals running back David Johnson (31) scores a touchdown as San Francisco 49ers inside linebacker Nick Bellore (50) pursues during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 13, 2016, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Arizona Cardinals running back David Johnson’s 2016 season ended in one of the worst ways imaginable when the 25-year-old left the season finale against the Los Angeles Rams with a left knee injury and did not return.
While the status of Johnson’s injury is not clear at this time, the all-time level he reached among the best running backs in the history of football is.
Here is Johnson’s 2016 season, by the numbers:
2,118: Johnson led the NFL in all-purpose yards with 2,118. He was the only player in the league this season to have over 2,000 and only nine players had over 1,500.
20: Johnson also led the NFL in receiving and rushing touchdowns combined with 20. It’s the first time since LeSean McCoy did it for the Eagles in 2011 that a player had at least 20.
879: Only four running backs in the past 10 seasons have had over 800 yards receiving in a season. Johnson joins Le’Veon Bell, Matt Forte and Steven Jackson after accumulating 879 yards receiving.
4: Johnson’s dual-threat season has only been done a number of times. Only four running backs in NFL history have had at least 15 rushing touchdowns and 600 yards receiving. Former Kansas City Chiefs running back Priest Holmes is the only one who has done it twice. If the qualification for receiving yards was bumped to 850 or more, Johnson is the only one to do so.
15: Johnson is the only player in league history to amass 100 yards from scrimmage in the first 15 games of the season.
21: Only 21 receiving yards separated Johnson from becoming the first player in NFL history to post 1,000 or more rushing yards, 900 or more receiving yards and 20 total touchdowns in a single season.
275: The usage rate Johnson reached of 275 rushing attempts or more and 75 receptions or more is a mark only 10 running backs in league history have reached. Future Hall of Famer LaDanian Tomlinson is the only one to do it twice and in back-to-back years when he had 685 rushing attempts and 179 receptions from 2002 to 2003.
10: Johnson is one of 14 running backs to average at least 10 yards per reception and catch 70 or more balls in a single season. Johnson, Marshall Faulk, and Herschel Walker are the only three to have at least 10 rushing touchdowns as well.
2,000: Johnson is the first player since Tomlinson in 2006 to reach 2,000 yards from scrimmage while scoring at least 20 touchdowns.
