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Emmett Johnson showed flashes throughout training camp and preseason and continued to impress in limited action during his first six NFL games.
The Chiefs rookie running back’s yards per touch entering Sunday’s game at Empower Field at Mile High Stadium — a robust 6.1 yards on 19 carries and nine catches — was actually higher than backfield mate Kenneth Walker III’s (5.9).
Johnson, a fifth-round pick from Nebraska, with an old-school name — he’s the 11th “Emmett” in league history, but only the second since 1983 — plays with a throwback style. He runs hard, he breaks tackles, he bursts away in the open field.
It was all on display against Denver in a breakout game despite Kansas City’s disappointing 28-24 loss as Johnson racked up a career-best 187 total yards, including 143 from scrimmage, and added a special teams tackle for good measure — all of which he felt was a little for naught.
“It felt good, but like I said, we (didn’t) win,” he said. “... Ultimately, the goal is to win the game. Obviously, (it) felt pretty good, but (I) wanted to come out with the ‘W.’”
When Walker signed with the Chiefs, he made it clear he wanted to be the lead back. He didn’t want to split carries, coming off the field on third down as he did last season in a backfield tandem with Zach Charbonnet on Seattle’s Super Bowl-winning squad.
But Kansas City may have to find a way to get Johnson more involved given the gifts he displayed against the Broncos — including a 73-yard touchdown reception, a 38-yard catch and run to set up a field goal in the two-minute drill before halftime, and a 44-yard kickoff return that gave the Chiefs a chance to win it late.
“We’re going to need more of it,” quarterback Patrick Mahomes said. “Obviously, Kenneth is the guy, but we want to be able to take carries away from him, so we can have him for the full entire season. If Emmett can come in and be a change of pace, break tackles and make plays, catch the ball, do all that different type of stuff — defenses can’t relax. I thought he did a great job today and he’s done great the entire time he’s been here. As the season goes on, we’ll continue to utilize him more and more, but at the same time utilizing Kenneth.”
Johnson finished with five catches for 128 yards, including the longest offensive touchdown since the 2021 season opener when he slipped free along the left sideline and turned a blitz-beater into a 73-yard catch and run to the end zone.
“They zero blitzed it and Emmett was able to get out,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “Pat, that was a heckuva throw — put it up and over, and Emmett located it. Obviously, (they were) on the same page, which was good.”
Johnson added a 15-yard battering ram of a run in his only rushing attempt. He now has 20 carries for 77 yards rushing and 14 catches for 237 yards, including a touchdown.
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