Rudi Johnson Madden Career 2002-2008 - Peak 92 OVR
Auburn transfer who set the Bengals rushing record in 2005
Rudi Johnson was born on October 1, 1979 in Ettrick, Virginia, played junior college football at Butler in Kansas, and transferred to Auburn for the 2000 season, when he ran for 1,567 yards and 13 touchdowns and was voted the AP SEC Offensive Player of the Year. Cincinnati drafted him in the fourth round of the 2001 draft, 100th overall. He did not record a carry as a rookie, and Madden NFL 02 listed him at 63 for that 2001 season.
Corey Dillon held the starting job, so Johnson waited, taking 215 carries for 957 yards in 2003. He took over in 2004 and rushed for 1,454 yards and 12 touchdowns, breaking Dillon's franchise single-season record and making the Pro Bowl, and Madden NFL 05 moved him to 86 for that season. He broke his own record in 2005 with 1,458 yards, then ran for 1,309 in 2006, a season Madden NFL 07 rated at 92.
He played 11 games in 2007 and ran for 497 yards, then spent 2008 in Detroit, where he gained 237 yards in 14 games and Madden NFL 09 put him at 84 for the year. Johnson finished eight seasons with 5,979 rushing yards and 49 rushing touchdowns, 5,742 of those yards in a Bengals uniform. He died on September 23, 2025 at the age of 45.
Rudi Johnson Madden Career Milestones
- Peak rating: 92 OVR in Madden NFL 2007 (age 26)
- Appeared in 7 Madden releases (Madden NFL 2002 through Madden NFL 2008)
- Entered at 63 OVR in Madden NFL 2002, climbed 29 points to his peak
- Biggest single-year rise: 22 points into Madden NFL 2005
- Played for the Bengals across every Madden release in his career
- Listed as a running back in every Madden release
- Final Madden appearance: Madden NFL 2008 at 91 OVR
Rudi Johnson Madden Career Ratings
| Madden | Team | Pos | OVR | Speed | ACC | AGI | STR | JMP | STA | INJ | TGH | AWR | PRC | THP | TAS | TAM | TAD | CAR | TRK | BCV | SFA | SPM | JKM | CTH | SPC | CIT | SRR | MRR | DRR | RLS | RBK | PBK | IBL | TAK | POW | PUR | MCV | ZCV | PRS | KPW | KAC | KRN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2002 2001 NFL season
|
|
RB | 63 | 78 | 81 | 76 | 63 | 73 | 80 | 83 | 65 | 47 | - | 21 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 71 | - | - | - | - | - | 51 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 27 | 29 | - | 23 | - | - | - | - | - | 16 | 12 | - |
|
2003 2002 NFL season
|
|
RB | 60 | 75 | 76 | 73 | 64 | 73 | 80 | 75 | 65 | - | - | 25 | - | - | - | 70 | - | - | - | - | - | 54 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 32 | 33 | - | 24 | - | - | - | - | - | 20 | 17 | - |
|
2004 2003 NFL season
|
|
RB | 64 | 78 | 82 | 75 | 67 | 73 | 80 | 75 | 80 | 49 | - | 25 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 73 | - | - | - | - | - | 51 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 32 | 33 | - | 24 | - | - | - | - | - | 20 | 17 | 20 |
|
2005 2004 NFL season
|
|
RB | 86 | 87 | 92 | 85 | 77 | 73 | 87 | 86 | 89 | 77 | - | 25 | - | - | - | 89 | - | - | - | - | - | 64 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 32 | 33 | - | 24 | - | - | - | - | - | 20 | 17 | - |
|
2006 2005 NFL season
|
|
RB | 90 | 88 | 92 | 85 | 78 | 73 | 87 | 91 | - | 85 | - | 25 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 91 | - | - | - | - | - | 67 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 32 | 33 | - | 24 | - | - | - | - | - | 20 | 17 | 20 |
|
2007 2006 NFL season
|
|
RB | 92 | 87 | 93 | 84 | 79 | 73 | 87 | 91 | 89 | 89 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 97 | 96 | 88 | 96 | 60 | 70 | 62 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 38 | 42 | 38 | 24 | - | 29 | 14 | 26 | - | 20 | 17 | 20 |
|
2008 2007 NFL season
|
|
RB | 91 | 88 | 90 | 86 | 79 | 73 | 87 | 92 | - | 95 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 99 | 96 | 96 | 97 | 65 | 78 | 69 | 30 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 55 | 44 | 47 | 38 | 24 | 10 | 29 | 14 | 26 | 10 | 20 | 17 | 20 |
Era Running Backs who played alongside Rudi Johnson
Rudi Johnson Madden Ratings by Year
Rudi Johnson Madden NFL 2002 rating: 63 OVR (2001 NFL season, CIN). Rudi Johnson Madden NFL 2003 rating: 60 OVR (2002 NFL season, CIN). Rudi Johnson Madden NFL 2004 rating: 64 OVR (2003 NFL season, CIN). Rudi Johnson Madden NFL 2005 rating: 86 OVR (2004 NFL season, CIN). Rudi Johnson Madden NFL 2006 rating: 90 OVR (2005 NFL season, CIN). Rudi Johnson Madden NFL 2007 rating: 92 OVR (2006 NFL season, CIN). Rudi Johnson Madden NFL 2008 rating: 91 OVR (2007 NFL season, CIN).