RIP - Essex Johnson

[corpjet]

Prayers to the family of Bengal great Essex Johnson who apparently passed away yesterday morning, as reported by Bengal Jim.

The Bengals haven't announced it yet.

https://twitter.com/bengaljims_BTR/status/1322010062307676167

[Whatever]

RIP

[dr tarzan]

Paul Robinson may have been our first bell cow. But EJ was our first home run hitter.... Sad day.

[*pally*]

may he rest in peace...prayers for his family and friends

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

RIP Mr Johnson

[impactplaya]

Under rated back. Really really good before knee injury.
Fast prayers to his family

[KillerGoose]

RIP E.J.

You will be missed by many.

[fredtoast]

The Essex Express was one of my first Bengal heroes. 1973 was the first year I really started following the Bengals closely. I was 10 years old. They finished 10-4 and won the AFC Central. Lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Dolphins.

People talk about what a great RB duo we had with Brooks and Woods in '88 but Essex and Boobie Clark were a much more productive combo in 1973

1973...Essex Johnson 1353 (997 rush, 356 rec)
1973...Boobie Clark 1335 (988 rush, 347 rec)

Clark and Johnson combined for 2688 in just 14 games for an average of 192.0 per game.

1988...Ickey Woods 1265 (1066 rush, 199 rec)
1988...James Brooks 1218 (931 rush, 287 rec)

Woods and Brooks combined for 2483 in 16 games for an average of 155.2 per game.

Boobie Clark was a rookie that year just like Ickey Woods in '88. And just like Woods that was by far the best season in his career.

[Tomkat]

(10-30-2020, 11:33 AM)fredtoast Wrote: Boobie Clark was a rookie that year just like Ickey Woods in '88.  And just like Woods that was by far the best season in his career.

So... we had an "Ickey" and "Boobie" have their best years as a rookie... maybe we should start drafting RB's with "odd" first names.  :)

[fredtoast]

Johnson was deadly as a receiver.

From 1970-73 he averaged 960 yards from scrimmage, 4.7 yards per carry and 14.2 yards per reception (86 for 1224 yds).  In those 4 years He had 9 receiving tds with 6 of them 39 yards or longer (39, 49, 51, 65, 67, and 78)

[coachmcneil71]

Damn! Peace be with you, Mr. Johnson.

[sandwedge]

RIP Essex

[kalibengal]

(10-30-2020, 11:38 AM)Tomkat Wrote: So... we had an "Ickey" and "Boobie" have their best years as a rookie... maybe we should start drafting RB's with "odd" first names.  :)

lets not forget about "Deacon" Turner
Although my alltime fave RB was Pete Johnson...
what a load that guy was. a 6-0 and 265 lb freight train 
Not alot of memories of Essex as I just started being a Bengals fan around 1975 but always recalled hearing about him and his 
big runs....sad to hear. 

[Speedy Thomas]

The Essex Express and my man Speedy were teammates. Those early years were so much fun. Paul Brown picked a bunch of gems from HBC's when not many others were. Just another way he was far ahead of his time.

I remember you well, 19. Rest in peace.

[bengals67]

(10-30-2020, 11:33 AM)fredtoast Wrote: The Essex Express was one of my first Bengal heroes.  1973 was the first year I really started following the Bengals closely.  I was 10 years old.  They finished 10-4 and won the AFC Central.  Lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Dolphins.

People talk about what a great RB duo we had with Brooks and Woods in '88 but Essex and Boobie Clark were a much more productive combo in 1973

1973...Essex Johnson 1353 (997 rush, 356 rec)
1973...Boobie Clark 1335 (988 rush, 347 rec)

Clark and Johnson combined for 2688 in just 14 games for an average of 192.0 per game.

1988...Ickey Woods 1265 (1066 rush, 199 rec)
1988...James Brooks 1218 (931 rush, 287 rec)

Woods and Brooks combined for 2483 in 16 games for an average of 155.2 per game.

Boobie Clark was a rookie that year just like Ickey Woods in '88.  And just like Woods that was by far the best season in his career.

Thanks for this. I am truly amazed at your encyclopedic memory of Bengals stats.  Essex was one of my favorite Bengals when I was a teenager. He was a great Bengal and a good guy as I recall.

Ps Fred- I did not intend to say that Burrow was the greatest of all time after 7 games in my thread the other day. Only that he is doing amazingly well for a rookie on this awful team and that the front office needs to get competent coaches and personnel evaluators now ( not wait for Zach to do awful for 3 or 4 years) to take advantage of a guy who could be ( I think is) a once in multi generational talent.

[Isaac Curtis: The Real #85]

RIP Essex.

I am a tad younger than Fred, but those Boobie Clark/Essex teams were the first Bengal teams I can remember.