CINCINNATI — Former Cincinnati Bengals running back Rudi Johnson has died at the age of 45, the team announced Tuesday.

The news of Johnson’s passing was first reported by TMZ. No cause of death or exact date has been released.

In a statement, Bengals president Mike Brown reflected on Johnson’s legacy both on and off the field:

"Rudi was a fine person and an excellent running back for us. He was dependable and productive as a player, and very popular among his teammates. Everyone liked him and saw him as a dear friend. We are deeply saddened by his passing."

Drafted in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL Draft out of Auburn, Johnson spent seven seasons with the Bengals, becoming one of the most productive running backs in franchise history. He appeared in 81 games with 59 starts, finishing his Cincinnati career with 5,742 rushing yards — the fourth-highest total in team history — and 48 rushing touchdowns, which ranks third all-time for the Bengals.

Johnson recorded 12 rushing touchdowns in three consecutive seasons, with his peak performance coming in 2004 when he ran for 1,454 yards and earned a Pro Bowl selection.

After being released by Cincinnati in 2008, Johnson played one final season with the Detroit Lions, where he rushed for 237 yards across 14 games.

Before his NFL career, Johnson had an impressive college run. In his lone season at Auburn in 2000, he earned SEC Offensive Player of the Year honors, rushing for 1,567 yards on 324 carries — the fourth-best single-season mark in school history — and scoring 13 total touchdowns. Auburn honored him in a statement on X, calling him “one of the best to ever wear the orange and blue.”

Prior to Auburn, Johnson starred at Butler Community College in Kansas, leading the program to back-to-back national championships. His contributions were later recognized with induction into the National Junior College Athletic Association’s Football Hall of Fame in 2016.