Ian Johnson (American football)

Ian Johnson

refer to caption Johnson at the 2009 Vikings Training Camp
No. 28, 41
Position:	Running Back
Personal information
Date of birth:	(1986-10-10) October 10, 1986
Place of birth:	Monrovia, California
Height:
Weight:
Career information
College:	Boise State
Undrafted:	2009
Career history
Minnesota Vikings (2009–2010)* San Francisco 49ers (2011)* Miami Dolphins (2011)*
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
1× First-team All-American (2006) 2× First-team All-WAC (2006, 2007) 1× Second-team All-WAC (2008)
Career NFL statistics
Player stats at NFL.com

Ian Blake Johnson (born October 10, 1986) is an American football running back. He played college football at Boise State.

Early years

Johnson attended Damien High School (La Verne, California), where he was a two-sport star in football and track. In football, he was named Inland Valley Offensive Player of the Year, L.A. Times All-San Gabriel Valley first team, San Gabriel Valley Tribune All-Area first team, Daily Bulletin Inland Valley All-Area Team, All-Sierra League MVP, and CIF Division II first-team all-league as a senior. Johnson was also a team captain for the Spartans and set Damien High School records in career rushing yards, season rushing yards (2,009 yards) and points scored (347). He was a high school teammate of Arena Football League star, Nick Davila.

Also an standout track & field athlete, Johnson was an All-Sierra League and All-CIF pick while competing in the 100-meter dash (11.17 s), 200-meter dash (23.03 s), and 4x100m relay (43.38 s).

College career

Johnson was redshirted for the 2004 season. In his freshman year in 2005, he rushed for 1,445 yards, at that time the 2nd-most by a freshman in Broncos history, scoring 14 touchdowns. In his illustrious six-year career at BSU, Johnson ran for 6,030 yards and 58 touchdowns, surpassing Marshall Faulk for the WAC Career Rushing Touchdown record.

The Broncos finished the 2006 regular season unbeaten (12-0) and became only the second team from outside the BCS conferences to play in a BCS bowl game. They played in the 2007 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl against the Oklahoma Sooners, the year's Big 12 champion. In the Fiesta Bowl, he scored the game winning two-point conversion in overtime on a Statue of Liberty play to the left side. Boise State defeated Oklahoma 43-42, completing a perfect 13-0 season. Johnson rushed for 100 yards and a touchdown. Following the game, during an interview with Chris Myers, Johnson proposed to his girlfriend Chrissy Popadics, Boise State's head cheerleader, on Fox Sports' postgame coverage. She accepted and they married on July 28, 2007. According to Johnson, he received about 30 threatening letters which he handed over to the FBI, from people who objected to his nationally-televised marriage proposal at the end of the 2007 Fiesta Bowl. Johnson, who is half-black, and Popadics, who is white, hired security for their wedding due to the threats.

Johnson had been considered a dark horse Heisman Trophy candidate. However, shortly after the announcement of his consideration for the Heisman Trophy, a collapsed lung sidelined Johnson for one game and hurt his chances of winning the Heisman. After the end of the 2006 regular season, he led NCAA Division I-A in scoring with 24 touchdowns. On December 7, 2006, Sports Illustrated named Johnson to their 2006 All-American first team. This made Johnson the first Boise State athlete to be named to a major All-American team. CBSSports.com also named him All-America in 2006. He was also named to the All-WAC team, won a Division I-A Offensive Player of the Week award, two WAC Offensive Player of the Week awards, and was a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award. Johnson ran an official 4.58 40-yard dash at Boise State.

Professional career

Pre-draft measureables

Pre-draft measurables

Ht	Wt	40-yd dash	10-yd split	20-yd split	20-ss	3-cone	Vert	Broad	BP	Wonderlic
5 ft 11¼ in	212 lb	4.46 s	1.46 s	2.55 s	4.18 s	6.86 s	33 in	9 ft 8 in	26 reps	26
3-cone and broad jump from Boise State Pro Day, all others from NFL Combine.

Minnesota Vikings

He ran the fastest 40 yard dash time for a running back at the 2009 NFL Combine with a 4.46. He was signed as a free agent with the Minnesota Vikings. In Week 4 of the Preseason Johnson ran for 2 touchdowns in 17 carries against the Dallas Cowboys. Johnson was waived by the Vikings on September 4, 2010. He was re-signed to the practice squad two days later.

Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals signed Johnson to their practice squad on September 6, 2010.

He was released from the practice squad on September 27, 2010.

Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions signed Johnson to their practice squad on November 17, 2010. Ian was again released on the 3rd September 2011.

Miami Dolphns

Johnson was signed to the dolphins practice squad on September 12, 2011. He was released on December 14, 2011.

Johnson was signed to the Miami Dolphins practice squad on December 29, 2011.

Motivational speaking

In November 2010, Ian Johnson joined Kituku and Associates in Boise as a motivational speaker and personal coach. Johnson will speak at schools, businesses, churches, and associations on turning dreams to reality, winning as a team, making the right choices, and overcoming challenges.

Radio career

Johnson joined Boise radio station KNFL (AM) "ESPN Boise 730/96.5" in February 2014.

See also

• List of NCAA Division I FBS running backs with at least 50 career rushing touchdowns
• List of NCAA major college football yearly rushing leaders
• List of NCAA major college football yearly scoring leaders

External links

• Official Boise State bio
• 49ers Bio