Essex Johnson

Essex L. Johnson (October 15, 1946 – October 29, 2020) was a professional football running back from Shreveport, Louisiana. He attended Booker T. Washington High School, where he set a school record with 23 touchdowns in 1963. At Grambling State University under coach Eddie Robinson, Johnson played both defensive back and offensive halfback, returning a punt 65 yards and a kickoff 95 yards for touchdowns in back-to-back weeks in October 1966. He helped Grambling win three consecutive Southwestern Athletic Conference titles. Johnson went on to play eight seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals and one season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.