DERRICK JOHNSON #56

Position	Linebacker
Height	6-3
Weight	242
Years Experience	4
Birthdate	11/22/1982
Hometown	Waco, TX
College	Texas
Current status	Active
Games Started	44
Games Played	45

Pro Career

Scintillating fourth-year linebacker appears poised to take his game to a higher plateau in 2008 … Has averaged exactly 100.0 tackles per season over his first three NFL campaigns … Has served as Kansas City’s starter at left outside linebacker the past three seasons … Expected to once again man that post for the Chiefs, but has the ability to move inside if called upon, something he did at the collegiate level … Considered one of the league’s top young defensive players, should only benefit from the tutelage of defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham, who will also coach Kansas City’s linebackers in 2008 … Cunningham has a history of getting the best out of young linebackers, turning Titans LB Keith Bulluck into a Pro Bowl performer in his fourth NFL campaign in 2003 … Has also learned innumerable lessons from 13-year veteran LB Donnie Edwards, whose locker is strategically located next to Johnson’s in the Arrowhead locker room … Former first-round draft pick continues to mature and is rapidly becoming a complete pro player … Aggressive performer has shown a propensity for delivering plenty of big plays … Owns a pair of multi-sack games and had a pair of games with both an INT and a forced fumble a year ago … Started all 16 contests last season, racking up the second 100-tackle output of his career with 107 stops … Also registered the first two interceptions of his brief NFL tenure, while accumulating a team-high 16 tackles for loss … Battled an ankle injury in 2006 that kept him out of three contests, but still managed to rack up 4.5 sacks … Terrific speed and anticipation allows him to be utilized in a variety of roles and excel at both rushing the passer and dropping into coverage … Excellent play recognition has allowed him to become a major presence in opponents’ backfields, as evidenced by his team-high 16 tackles for loss in 2007 … Joined LB Derrick Thomas (D1-89) and LB Percy Snow (D1-90) as the third Butkus Award winner to play for the Chiefs … Became the first Chiefs linebacker in 20 years to start all 16 games of his rookie campaign after joining the Chiefs in 2005 … Earned the team’s prestigious Mack Lee Hill Award, an honor bestowed on Kansas City’s top rookie or first-year player … Burst onto the NFL scene in his first professional game, recording eight tackles, a sack-and-strip of QB Chad Pennington and a pass defensed vs. the N.Y. Jets (9/11/05) ... Has played in 45 games (44 starts), recording 300 tackles (244 solo) with 25 tackles for loss, two INTs (18 yards), 10.5 sacks (-70.5 yards), 19 passes defensed, seven forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and 20 QB pressures … Also has eight special teams stops … Owns one postseason start, registering 12 tackles (10 solo) with two for loss.

Transactions: Signed a five-year contract with Kansas City (7/31/05) ... Drafted in the first round (15th overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft.

2007

Started 16 games at left outside linebacker … Ranked third on the club with 107 tackles (91 solo) with a team-high 16 for loss … Joined with fellow LBs Napoleon Harris (123) and Donnie Edwards (108) to give the franchise its first trio of linebackers with triple-digit tackles since LBs Gary Spani (144), Dave Rozumek (113) and Thomas Howard (106) accomplished the feat in ‘78 … Contributed 4.0 sacks (-34.0 yards), two INTs, seven passes defensed, six QB pressures and three forced fumbles … Also had one special teams tackle … Tied a career high with 2.0 sacks (-18.0 yards) of Rex Grossman at Chicago (9/16). Also had seven tackles, two passes defensed and a special teams stop … Amassed 10 tackles vs. Minnesota (9/23) ... Enjoyed a monster game at San Diego (9/30), pulling off a sack and strip of Philip Rivers to set up a 50-yard TD return by CB Tyron Brackenridge. Also intercepted his first career pass off Rivers to go with three tackles and two QB pressures … Registered 10 tackles with one for loss at Oakland (10/21) ... Intercepted a Jay Cutler pass and forced a RB Selvin Young fumble vs. Denver (11/11), adding 12 tackles, including three stops for loss, as well as a QB pressure … Recorded eight tackles vs. Oakland (11/25) ... Had a sack of Philip Rivers, forced a FB Lorenzo Neal fumble and posted seven tackles vs. San Diego (12/2).

2006

Played in 13 games with 12 starts at left outside linebacker and was inactive for three contests … Finished third on the team with 83 tackles (66 solo), including five behind the line and two forced fumbles … His 4.5 sacks (-22.5 yards) were third on the team … Added four QB pressures, three passes defensed and two fumble recoveries … Recorded a team-high nine tackles, a QB pressure and recovered a QB Carson Palmer fumble vs. Cincinnati (9/10) ... Notched five tackles with one for loss and one QB pressure at Denver (9/17) ... Collected nine tackles and 1.5 sacks of Alex Smith vs. San Francisco (10/1). Also had one pass defensed and forced a RB Frank Gore fumble … Registered nine tackles, as well as a sack and strip of Philip Rivers in addition to a QB pressure vs. San Diego (10/22) ... Produced five tackles and a career-high 2.0 sacks of Seneca Wallace vs. Seattle (10/29) ... Amassed two tackles before leaving the game in the second quarter with an ankle injury at St. Louis (11/5) ... Was inactive with an ankle injury at Miami (11/12), ending his streak of 24 consecutive starts … Was inactive with an ankle injury vs. Oakland (11/19) and at Cleveland (12/3) ... Notched nine tackles and recovered a WR Johnnie Morant fumble at Oakland (12/23) ... Totaled five tackles vs. Jacksonville (12/31) ... Amassed 12 tackles including two behind the line in an AFC Wild Card Game at Indianapolis (1/6/07).

2005

Started all 16 games at left outside linebacker to become the first rookie linebacker in Chiefs history to start all 16 games since LB Dino Hackett accomplished the feat in ‘86 … Named the club’s Mack Lee Hill Award winner, an honor bestowed on Kansas City’s top rookie or first-year player … Ranked third on the squad with 110 tackles (87 solo), with four tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks (-14.0 yards), 10 QB pressures, one fumble recovery, two forced fumbles and nine passes defensed … Also recorded six special teams tackles … His 110 tackles were the fourth-highest total ever accumulated by a Chiefs rookie and were the most by a Kansas City rookie linebacker in team history since Hackett had 140 stops in ‘86 … Recorded eight stops, a sack and strip of Chad Pennington, two QB pressures and a pass defensed vs. the N.Y. Jets (9/11). Became the first Chiefs rookie linebacker to start on Opening Day since Percy Snow did it vs. Minnesota (9/9/90) ... Tallied 10 tackles and recovered a QB Kerry Collins fumble at Oakland (9/18) ... Amassed seven tackles and forced a WR Charlie Adams fumble at Denver (9/26) ... Produced a career-high 11 tackles and one pass defensed vs. Philadelphia (10/2) ... Totaled 10 tackles (nine solo) and one QB pressure vs. Washington (10/16) ... Posted nine tackles, two QB pressures and one pass defensed at San Diego (10/30) ... Recorded six tackles, a sack of Jake Plummer, a pass defensed and a special teams stop vs. Denver (12/4).

College Bio

Appeared in 50 games (40 starts) at Texas, registering 458 tackles (281 solo), a school-record 65.0 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks and 10 INTs for 199 yards with a TD … Also had five fumble recoveries, 11 forced fumbles, 39 QB pressures and 30 passes defensed … Was the first player in Longhorn annals to win the Butkus Award … Earned the Bronko Nagurski Trophy as the top collegiate defensive player in 2004 … Opened all 12 games as a senior in 2004, finishing the year with a career-high 130 tackles (73 solo) and 2.0 sacks (-15.0 yards) ... Had an NCAA single-season record nine forced fumbles, breaking the previous mark of eight shared by Syracuse DE Dwight Freeney (2001) and Boise State S Quintin Mikell (2002) ... Also returned an INT for 18 yards and added eight passes defensed and 10 QB pressures … Was a unanimous All-America and All-Big 12 selection … Started 13 games at weakside linebacker in 2003 as a junior, leading the club with 125 tackles (78 solo) and 20.0 stops behind the line … Also had 2.0 sacks (-10.0 yards), three fumble recoveries, a forced fumble, four interceptions for 92 yards with a TD, nine passes defensed and 10 QB pressures … Started all 13 games as a sophomore season in 2002 … Ranked second on the club with 120 tackles (73 solo) ... Also had 2.0 sacks (-4.0 yards), 10 passes defensed, four interceptions for 85 yards and 10 QB pressures … Was a first-team All-Big 12 selection … Played in 12 games (two starts) in 2001 as a true freshman, ranking second on the squad with 83 tackles (57 solo) and fourth with 4.5 sacks (-29.0 yards) ... Added nine QB pressures, one INT (four yards), two fumble recoveries and three passes defensed … Named The Sporting News National Freshman of the Year … Earned first-team Freshman All-America honors from The Sporting News … Chosen the Big 12 Conference Co-Defensive Freshman of the Year … Majored in Education at Texas.

Personal Bio

• Attended Waco High School in Waco, Texas.

• Earned Parade All-America and first-team All-Texas Class 5A honors following both his junior and senior seasons.

• Registered 170 tackles (103 solo), 21.0 stops for loss, 6.0 sacks, five forced fumbles and two INTs, including one for a TD as a senior.

• Once produced a career-high 30 tackles and four forced fumbles in a single game.

• Also lettered twice in basketball and ran a time of 10.5 seconds in the 100-meter dash.

• Established the “King of the Field - The Derrick Johnson Foundation” in 2005 to help provide opportunities for youths to achieve in both academics and in the community.

• “King of the Field Foundation” has paired with Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, KaBOOM! and more than 200 volunteers to construct three playgrounds in Kansas City.

• Serves as a spokesperson for Lift Up America, an organization that facilitates widespread compassion by providing gifts of food and comfort to our nation’s less fortunate.

• Was named the 2007 Role Model of the Year by the children of the Greater Kansas City Boys & Girls Clubs.

• Brother, Dwight played defensive tackle at Baylor (’96-99) and in the NFL with Philadelphia (2000) and the N.Y. Giants (2002).

• Cousin, Bert Emanuel was selected in the second round (45th overall) by Atlanta in ‘94 and played in the NFLas a wide receiver with Atlanta (’94-97), Tampa Bay (’98-99) and Miami (2000).

• Cousin, Ben Emanuel was a defensive back at UCLA (2000-04). He was a fifth-round selection (171st overall) of Carolina in the 2005 NFL Draft.

• Cousin, Aaron Emanuel was a standout running back at USC (’85-86, ‘88-89).

• Cousin, John Williams is a redshirt senior defensive end at Oklahoma.

• Cousin, Kevin Emanuel was a defensive lineman at Florida State (2000-03).

• Maintains his own website at www.superdj56.com.

• Full name: Derrick O’Hara Johnson.

• Single, resides in Kansas City, Missouri.

Derrick Johnson in the News

10/11/2006 11:13:50 AM - Derrick Johnson Helps Children Build Dream Playground in a Single Day

7/26/2006 3:42:45 PM - Derrick Johnson Helps Children Design Their Dream Playground

12/30/2005 5:04:31 PM - STRAIGHT HITS WITH DJ - # 12

12/2/2005 3:06:44 PM - STRAIGHT HITS WITH DJ - #8

11/25/2005 2:41:33 PM - STRAIGHT HITS WITH DJ

11/18/2005 3:37:28 PM - STRAIGHT HITS WITH DJ - # 6

11/11/2005 3:25:48 PM - STRAIGHT HITS WITH DJ - # 5

10/28/2005 8:30:00 AM - STRAIGHT HITS WITH DJ - Take 3

9/30/2005 4:01:04 PM - STRAIGHT HITS WITH DJ