‘I’LL BE WATCHING’

NFL Star, 45, Posted Inspiring Message Days Before His Death

“He was dependable and productive as a player, and very popular among his teammates. Everyone liked him and saw him as a dear friend,” Bengals owner Mike Brown said.

Former NFL Star Rudi Johnson wrote a motivational message to Virginia youth last week, days before his suicide. Johnson, who grew up in Virginia, played at Auburn University for a year before spending the majority of his eight-year career in the NFL with the Bengals. Before his death, he was reported to have been struggling with a mental health issue which may have been linked to CTE, a progressive neurodegenerative disease caused by repetitive brain trauma. The NFL star, 45, addressed the Chesterfield Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2025 in a taped message. “I just want to say dream big, shoot for the stars, stay focused, never give up. And one more thing: For all the kids from Chesterfield County, I’ll be watching for the next star to be born,” he continued. Johnson was passionate about speaking to the young and uplifting his community through his philanthropic work.