The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Football’s Derrick Johnson enshrined in Missouri Sports Hall of Fame
01.27.2020 | Football
The Longhorn Legend spent 13 seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs and is the franchise’s all-time leading tackler.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Texas Football legend Derrick Johnson was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame on Sunday night. Johnson spent 13 of his 14 NFL seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, finishing his career as the franchise's all-time leader in tackles (1,151), while adding 14 interceptions, 27.5 sacks and 40 quarterback hits. He was a first-team All-Pro selection in 2010 and a four-time Pro Bowler (2011-13, 2015).
One of the premier defensive players in Texas Football history, Johnson was the winner of the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (nation's top defensive player) and Butkus Award (nation's top linebacker) as a senior at UT in 2004. He was a two-time consensus first-team All-American (2003-04), a two-time finalist and three-time semifinalist for the Butkus Award, as well as a finalist for the Bednarik Award (nation's top defensive player), Lombardi Award (nation's top lineman) and Lott Trophy (defensive player of the year) in 2004. He also finished 12th in the 2004 Heisman Trophy balloting and was listed among the top 10 finalists for the Walter Camp Football Foundation Player of the Year, the only defensive player in both of those groups.
Johnson was a unanimous selection as the 2004 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, leading UT to an 11-1 record and a 38-37 victory over Michigan in the Rose Bowl. He also was selected as the 2004 Big 12 Male Athlete of the Year.
From 2001-04, Johnson played in 50 career games (40 starts) during a four-year stretch that saw the Horns win 11 games three times, at least 10 games all four years and post an overall record of 43-8 (27-5 Big 12). UT won three bowl games, finished in the top 12 nationally all four years and among the top six on three occasions.
Johnson tallied 458 career tackles (No. 3 on UT's career list at the time), 280 solo tackles (No. 4), 65 tackles for loss (No. 1), 10.5 sacks, 39 QB pressures, 30 pass breakups (UT record for LBs), nine interceptions (UT record for LBs), 11 forced fumbles (T-No. 3) and five fumble recoveries.
He started all 12 games as a senior and posted 130 tackles (73 solo), 19 TFLs and an NCAA-record nine caused fumbles. As a junior, he started all 13 games and recorded 125 tackles, 20 TFLs and four interceptions, tying his own UT record for linebackers. In 2002, Johnson started all 13 games and registered 120 tackles, 13 TFLs and picked off four passes – the first time he set the benchmark for Longhorn linebackers. Johnson played in all 13 games as a true freshman in 2001, including a pair of starts. He earned National Freshman of the Year and first-team Freshman All-America honors, as well as being named the Big 12 co-Defensive Freshman of the Year and the Defensive MVP of the Holiday Bowl.
Johnson went on to be drafted by Kansas City with the 15th overall pick (first Round) of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played 13 full seasons in the league, all of them with the Chiefs, before finishing his career with the Oakland Raiders in 2018. Johnson signed a one-day contract with Kansas City on May 2, 2019, in order to retire as a Chief.
A native of Waco, Texas, Johnson starred at Waco High School, where he was a Parade All-American who once posted 30 tackles in a high school game. He was inducted into the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame in 2015, and was enshrined in the Texas Athletics Hall of Honor last year.
