Return of Rudi Rudi Rudi

[CageTheBengal]

It's no ring of honor but still cool. Rudis always been one of my favorites.

Quote:When Rudi Johnson and the rest of about 15 Bengals legends are introduced to the Paul Brown Stadium crowd before Sunday’s game (1 p.m.-Cincinnati’s Channel 19), the chant will no doubt start somewhere.

“Rudi, Rudi, Rudi.”

That will take you back about a decade and more, back when the Bengals not only socked away wins with the running game but relished the very act of getting four yards per carry. There is no coincidence that while the 5-10, 220-pound Johnson pin-balled his way to the franchise’s two greatest rushing seasons in 2004 and 2005 the Bengals finally contended in the new AFC North and won it in 2005.

“It’s always nice to hear. Music to my ears,” Johnson says of the chant that defined his Cincinnati career. “That always got me through and it got my teammates through. That’s how we closed out games. Those guys would be blocking for me. Big Will (Anderson), and Levi (Jones) and Richie (Braham) and (Andrew) Whitworth and (Eric) Steinbach and those types of guys. Whenever we heard that, we knew it was close-out time. It’s always good to hear.”

Two other players from those 2005 AFC North champions are expected to be a part of this Legends Weekend, anchored by Hall-of-Famer Anthony Munoz and all-time leading scorer Jim Breech. The Bengals all-time leading receiver Chad Johnson and Shayne Graham, the man behind Breech on
the list, join Rudi Johnson to represent the team that went 11-5 for the first of head coach Marvin Lewis’ four division titles.

It is Rudi Johnson’s first visit to PBS since 2008 Cut Down Day when he was released in a move that stung Bengaldom even though it took no one by surprise since his name had surfaced in trade rumors the week before. Just a year removed from a 1,309-yard season, a bout of nagging injuries at age 28 reduced his carries by half in 2007 but a blue collar crowd favorite is a blue collar crowd favorite.

“It was always more business for me than personal. I’m a businessman,” Rudi Johnson says. “The Bengals gave me an opportunity and I took it. I hope the way I played shows my appreciation.”

Now 36, Johnson is still the businessman living in Miami, where he dabbles in several ventures, ranging from real estate

http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/Return-of-Rudi-Rudi-Rudi/c0bc8525-2688-4e0a-b93f-a46a736bcd81