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Award-winning columnist Tom Archdeacon — an old-school storyteller in a brand-new venue — writes about sports, the city, southwest Ohio and anything else that catches his fancy… or yours.Home > Blogs > Through the Arch > Archives > 2009 > November > 29
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Larry Johnson and the Ki-Jana Curse
CINCINNATI — After what has happened to him in the past year or so — suspended by Kansas City and then the NFL, pilloried by fans, finally jettisoned all together by the Chiefs three weeks ago in a move that could cost him millions in salary — Larry Johnson is now quite thankful to be a Cincinnati Bengal.
But he admits there was a time he wanted no part of his new team.
Coming out of Penn State in 2003, he didn’t want to be drafted by the Bengals. Not because of their perennial losing record though:
“I didn’t want them to hit me with Ki-Jana — with the Ki-Jana Curse. I’d already followed him at Penn State, but to follow him here, I didn’t want that pressure. So it was good for me to be drafted by somebody else.”
Kansas City made him a first-round pick.
In 1995, the Bengals made Carter the No. 1 pick in the entire NFL draft. But on the third play of his very first preseason game, the Penn State product blew out an anterior cruciate ligament. The knee injury was devastating and he never fully recovered.
He ended up playing — and hobbling — through 10 NFL seasons, five with the Bengals, and rushed for just under 1,200 yards total.
Two season’s ago FOXsports.com voted Carter the worst-ever running back draft bust in NFL history. I think that’s unfair in light of the injury, but the name does conjure up the bad old times around Cincinnati Bengals football.
Things are a lot better now. The Bengals are 8-3 and with their 16-7 victory over the Cleveland Browns Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium — thanks in a big way to Johnson — they have, for the first time ever, swept the other three AFC North teams and certainly appear headed for the play-offs.
Sunday, Johnson, who only joined the Bengals earlier this month, was huge. Although he had played just one series last week in Oakland, he was the workhorse against the Browns. With Cedric Benson out with a hip injury and back-up Bernard Scott a bit hobbled during the game, Johnson carried the ball 22 times and rushed for 107 yards,.
“I never expected to play so soon, but I learned the offense in two weeks and they trusted me enough today to go out and protect Carson (Palmer) and to carry the ball,” Johnson said. “That’s a big deal. When you’re carrying the ball, you’re holding a lot of hopes and dreams in your hands”.
Last week Scott, who had 87 yards Sunday, ran for 119 yards. And when he was injured two weeks ago, Benson was leading the NFL in rushing.
At present, the Bengals — who also have third- down specialist Brian Leonard — may well have the best stable of running backs in the NFL.
Johnson — a two time Pro Bowler who ran for over 1,700 yards in 2005 and 2006 before hiis casreer went into decline — said he just wanted a second chance with the Bengals. But after Sunday he realized he had gotten more than that.
“Coming here now I think I’m able to show what a Penn State back can do. I used to think being a Bengal would bring on that curse.
“Instead, now, it’s a blessing.”
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