Chiefs rookie back Emmett Johnson ‘ran hard and aggressive’

Although the Kansas City Chiefs lost the preseason opener 20-12 to the Los Angeles Rams, the defeat produced encouraging performances and positive takeaways.

One noteworthy performance came from rookie running back Emmett Johnson, who delivered a strong effort when given the opportunity. Mostly operating with the second- and third-string offense, Johnson finished the game with 59 yards on 12 attempts, as well as 3 receptions out of the backfield. Johnson also had several positive plays negated by penalties, including a touchdown from roughly five yards out.

Johnson made a strong case to continue to receive opportunities as a complementary piece in the offense. He showed the talent to be another valuable option out of the backfield, along with last year’s Super Bowl MVP and new Chief Kenneth Walker III. Johnson’s efforts did not go unnoticed by his head coach Andy Reid.

“He did a nice job with it,” Reid told local media in his post-game press conference. “He ran hard and aggressive, had some yards after contact there, which is a big thing. He was one of the positives coming out of this, I thought he did a nice job.”

Johnson displayed an aggressive and tough running style. He read blocks and hit the available holes hard, without hesitation. He was the main cog in the Chiefs’ offensive attack in the preseason opener.

“He has a good feel,” Reid continued to praise the rookie’s first performance. “He’s patient, then when he hits it, he hits it hard. He has a toughness to him there. I know the offensive linemen appreciate that.”

Johnson made the most of his first opportunity on an NFL field. The running back position for the Chiefs was a clear area of need in the offseason, leading to the free agent signings of Walker III and Emari Demercado, as well as the drafting of Johnson in the 5th round. The Chiefs have rebuilt the running back room entirely, including the hiring of new running backs coach DeMarco Murray.

Johnson is proud of his progress and opening NFL performance, but knows the process is not complete. There is still work to be done to continue to evolve his game. The rookie back acknowledged that to a scrum of local media in the locker room on Saturday evening.

“It’s just football at the end of the day,” Johnson said, comparing the college game to his first NFL experience. “Obviously, it’s a little bit faster, and guys are a lot more talented and stuff like that, but at the end of the day, it’s just football. I feel like I’ve adapted well to the NFL and feel like I’ll be a better NFL player.”

Johnson and the entire Chiefs’ offense hope to build on the positives as they return to St. Joseph for the remainder of training camp. The offense still has areas to improve to take the next step in 2026.

“A lot of learning lessons, a lot to learn from overall,” Johnson said. “Just a good experience being out there with my teammates, but unfortunately I wanted to get that win. That’s the part I hate: losing.”

If Johnson continues to stack strong performances throughout training camp and the preseason, he will surely become a larger part of the Chiefs’ offensive attack in 2026. With a new offensive coaching staff and quarterback Patrick Mahomes returning from injury, the running game will be relied upon heavily during the regular season. Johnson is making a strong case to be a big part of the offensive plan moving forward.