The Cleveland Browns defeated the Denver Broncos on Thursday Night Football on the back of running back D’Ernest Johnson and the offensive line. Johnson, stepping in for the injured Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, had a career day with 22 carries for 146 yards and one touchdown.
Johnson also added two receptions for 22 yards including an 18-yarder.
From going undrafted to direct messaging teams in the now-defunct AAF looking for a job to the star of Thursday Night Football, Johnson’s story is one of hard work and determination. While his role in Cleveland is bound to be diminished with the return of Chubb and Hunt over the next few weeks, he established himself as a quality running back in the NFL.
Following the game, Browns head coach gave Johnson the game ball. The response of his teammates shows just how loved he is in the locker room:
"I'm so proud of you guys for fighting…for 60 minutes"
🗣 Kevin Stefanski pic.twitter.com/ilb1RqeNKe— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) October 22, 2021
As the longest season in NFL history pushes ahead, the team will benefit from seeing these kinds of successes for their teammates. The pure joy and excitement coming out of a hard-fought victory can help sustain through tough times.
Coming off a tough week with a lot of negative injury news, the Johnson breakout game came at a perfect time for the Cleveland Browns.
