The all-time leading tackler in the history of the Kansas City Chiefs will join the team's Ring of Honor this Sunday.
One of the great linebackers of his generation, Derrick Johnson was selected 15th overall by the Chiefs in 2005 and spent the next 13 seasons with the franchise. Johnson played for five different head coaches and countless coordinator changes, including one that even prompted him to move from outside linebacker to inside.
Looking at Johnson's historic production
Even after all of that, Johnson remained a defining player for Chiefs football for more than a decade. Boasting eight seasons with 90+ tackles, Johnson was an elite contributor to some of Kansas City's best defensive units. In 13 seasons, Johnson was a part of Chiefs units that finished in the top 10 in points allowed four times. Prior to that four-year stretch of top-10 finishes from 2013-2016, the Chiefs hadn't accomplished that feat since the 1997 season.
Johnson also collected numerous personal accolades during his career: two All-Pro selections, four Pro Bowl selections, and a Chiefs franchise record of 1,154 tackles.
More than the stat sheet
While his stats are impressive, Johnson's availability and durability must also be noted, as he appeared in 182 of a possible 208 regular-season games during his time in Kansas City. In 2014, Johnson tore his Achilles tendon in Week 1, ending his 2014 season. He responded with one of the best seasons of his career in 2015, posting 116 tackles while also being named a Pro Bowler and a member of the All-Pro Second Team.
Derrick Johnson was a fixture on the defensive side of the ball in Kansas City as many of the team's stars were aging or leaving. He arrived as Trent Green, Priest Holmes, and Tony Gonzalez were leaving town, stayed through bad seasons and constant change, and was still here for the beginning of the current Reid and Mahomes era of Chiefs football. While Johnson missed the ultimate glory of a Super Bowl victory, his contributions both on the field and to the identity of Chiefs football won't soon be forgotten.
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