Late Bengals Star Rudi Johnson's Net Worth Was Just as Impressive as His NFL Career

Building a career in any professional sport is difficult, but there's something special about the NFL. The expectation surrounding every season fills the country with excitement and uncertainty, with every fan wanting their team to make it to the Super Bowl.

Unfortunately, there is a negative side to playing the sport. Injuries can happen. Some of these accidents affect the body, while others can directly target an athlete's mind.

The legacy that Rudi Johnson left behind shouldn't be tarnished by his tragic passing. The Cincinnati Bengals running back lost his life in an unexpected way, shocking the football community and the people who worked with Rudi.

Playing football at the professional level comes with a series of impressive paychecks. What did Rudi's net worth look like? Here's what we know about the money generated throughout the player's trajectory.

According to The Economic Times, Rudi's net worth was estimated to be somewhere between $3 million and $5 million. The number took into account the athlete's tenure in the NFL.

Rudi was committed to the Bengals throughout most of his journey as a professional. The team was the first to welcome him after he got out of college. When he was a student, the star running back played for Butler Community College.

Rudi played years before Tom Brady and Travis Kelce received extraordinary contract renewal offers across the NFL. Nevertheless, the Bengals running back cashed in plenty of impressive checks during his time.

The Economic Times also reports that the biggest payment from Rudi's career arrived in the form of a $25.9 million four-year extension with the Bengals. The Cincinnati team clearly enjoyed putting the player's talent to good use.

As stated above, playing football can turn out to be extremely dangerous. According to TMZ, Rudi might have suffered from a case of chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Constant head injuries cause the neurodegenerative disease.

CTE has been linked to mental health issues due to how it directly affects the brain. Unfortunately, it was revealed that Rudi took his own life at the age of forty-five.

The official Cincinnati Bengals social media accounts released a statement mourning the loss of the running back. Mike Brown, the president of the team, shared: "Rudi was a fine person and an excellent running back for us. He was dependable and productive as a player, and very popular among his teammates."

Rudi liked to keep his privacy, despite his massive NFL following. He will be dearly remembered by the loyal fans who followed his career over the years.