Larry Johnson Channels "The Express" then Introduces Local Youth to Ernie Davis

Oct 01, 2008, 9:35:40 AM

Kansas City Chiefs RB Larry Johnson is known for his tenacious running style. He typically dishes out as much pain on those attempting to tackle him as defenders try to inflict upon him. His ferocity on the football field was evident this past Sunday as he rumbled for 198 rushing yards against Denver, the fourth-best single-game mark in team annuals. For those keeping count, Johnson also holds the top two single-game marks in franchise history. In typical fashion, it was difficult to have watched the game and missed his performance. However, a mere two days later, it would have been equally difficult for the uneducated to have known that the man whose already rewrote numerous pages of the Chiefs record books was once again giving back. This time, he was helping 200 local youth to get better acquainted with a gridiron legend that was lost much too soon.

When Johnson heard about the new Universal film THE EXPRESS he felt a need to ensure that those who might be unable to watch the film for whatever reason would be able to see it. The film, based on the true story of Ernie Davis, the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy, chronicles not only the life of the “Elmira Express” but also the world in which he lived. Davis led Syracuse to its first ever championship in 1960 during a time of racial unrest. He was the first pick of the 1962 NFL Draft and was preparing to play for the Cleveland Browns before leukemia cut his life short. Johnson saw a movie like this as a true learning experience for today’s youth.

That’s because LJ, as his teammates refer to him, isn’t always flashy. When the opportunity for this student of the game to help educate kids about the life of Davis and the adversity he encountered, he jumped at the chance. Johnson has a true appreciation of football history that is unlike the majority of his NFL contemporaries today. He developed this admiration for some of football’s legends as a young boy; spending hours watching NFL Films highlight videos brought home by his father, Larry Johnson, Sr. His family nurtured that passion of football’s trailblazers and it’s evident by the “Johnson Boys” paths.

While his father serves as a defensive line coach at Penn St under legendary taskmaster Joe Paterno, both Larry and his brother, Tony, played for the Nittany Lions. His admiration for the game grew as the younger Larry matured from adolescence into manhood. It came full-circle when he took home the Doak Walker Award as the Nation’s top collegiate running back following his senior year at Happy Valley. Having the opportunity to reflect on the importance Walker had on the game, LJ realized that his name was now synonymous with the SMU legend.

It continued when he set an NFL record in 2006 with his 416 rushing attempts. This stoic figure that rarely sheds his façade of professionalism on the field was humbled when the Pro Football Hall of Fame put his “record-setting” shoes on display in commemoration of the amazing feat. From now on, Johnson knew his shoes would be housed alongside artifacts from those on the NFL Films documentaries he cherished as a child. He now had something in common with not just his hero Jim Brown but the likes of Earl Campbell, Dick “Night Train” Lane, Ollie Matson, Lenny Moore and Marion Motley as well.

As youth shuffle into the darkened theatre, arms full of popcorn, hotdogs and sodas compliments of LJ’s Legacy and Growth Foundation, this six-year NFL veteran is far removed from his on-field persona. He flashes a smile and begins to introduce the film. He knows that for some, the racism depicted in the film is raw and unfamiliar… unfortunately, he also knows that for the majority of those in the theatre, it is closer to reality than it should be. After all, for LJ tonight is about equal parts: fun and education. And he wants that education to not only focus on football but also society. He hopes that when the film concludes and the lights are clicked on, the children attending won’t easily forgot Ernie Davis or his life. He also trusts that they will be able to learn not just by the way Davis conducted himself on the field but off of it as well. He hopes that they take something from his experiences that they can utilize in their life.

It seems like Johnson is always trying to prove people wrong. Earlier in college he had to prove to Paterno that he could be a featured back. When he came to the Chiefs, he needed to show that he had the ability necessary to be a professional. Following his injury last season, he had to show doubters that he was the same runner that was twice graced with Pro Bowl honors. In that comparison, Davis and Johnson are similar. Once they were given the opportunity, they each were ready and able to truly show their talents. The point is that adversity is something each and every person deals with in one way or another. If the children watching the movie this night take only one thing with them, Johnson hopes it’s that.

Now that all have exited the movie, LJ has time to ponder once again on where his life has been and whom he’s become. He wonders out loud to his brother if there will be any children in the audience today that will be like him. Will there be any kid that will have a fire stoked in them for the history of the game like he had instilled in him as a youth.

More importantly, LJ hopes that everyone in attendance will at least know obtaining their dreams is a possibility. “If they just focus and stay committed, they can be anything they want, obtain anything they want,” Johnson notes as he exits the theatre. “I told them that. I just hope that between my words and Ernie’s life they know it’s the truth!”

-CHIEFS COMMUNITY CARING, JOIN OUR TEAM-