Houston Texans cornerback Lonnie Johnson proves you don’t need to be an established veteran to make a big impact in the community.
The second-round rookie from Kentucky was named the NFLPA Community MVP for Week 3 following his efforts to pay for the funeral expenses of Curtis Walton, a 14-year-old football player from Johnson’s hometown of Gary, Ind. The student-athlete from Calumet New Tech High School drowned while trying to cool off after football practice earlier this month.
“I told somebody in an interview before I got drafted, I won’t be back to my city unless I can bring something back to it,” Johnson said. “So that’s my goal, to bring life back to the city and give back to my city, that’s part of me doing what I did.”
Johnson remarked that in paying for Walton’s expenses, he felt he had completed “God’s work.” While certainly he may have had his eyes on a higher prize, if one at all, Johnson’s heartfelt deed did not go unnoticed among his peers.
