The Arizona Cardinals running back, an All-Pro in 2016, missed last season after dislocating his left wrist in the season opener. The wrist is healed and he is a full participant in the team's weight and conditioning program that began this week.
"I'm very motivated," he said Thursday. "It's not really about (showing) the people out there, it's really about myself and coming back for the team, for my teammates, for the coaches. Everything being so new, it's really about coming back and bouncing back and being able to play the sport."
By new, Johnson means the coaching staff. Bruce Arians, who utilized Johnson almost as much as a receiver as a ball carrier, has retired. New coach Steve Wilks brought in Mike McCoy as offensive coordinator. McCoy has talked about designing an offense around the ability of the players.
And that would mean a lot of David Johnson.
Drafted in the third round out of Northern Iowa in 2015 Brent Burns Jersey , Johnson's multiple abilities as a runner and a receiver were on full display his second season under Arians' wide-open system.
Johnson led the league in yards from scrimmage and touchdowns in 2016, setting an NFL record by topping 100 yards from scrimmage in each of his first 15 games. He probably would have made it 16 had he not injured a knee in the season finale against the Los Angeles Rams.
The 6-foot-1, 225-pound back rushed for 1,239 yards that season and caught 80 passes for 879 yards. The performance earned him All-Pro honors at the flex position.
Because it was his wrist that was hurt in the opener at Detroit, Johnson could still run and do other workouts designed for him by strength and conditioning coach Buddy Morris, who was retained by the new staff. Johnson said he probably is in the best shape of his life.
"We seen David all of last year, seeing him work out, running the field. We thought he could play every Sunday," teammate Patrick Peterson said. "He's always looking good. That guy's a freak of nature. I know he can't wait to get back on the field."
Getting Johnson in the weight room is no problem. Getting him not to overdo it is a challenge.
"He's a freak," Morris said. "I will never, ever take credit for anything David Johnson (does). I have to protect David from David to be honest with you, because he always wants to load the bar with more and more and more weight."
Johnson said he does that sometimes just to see Morris' reaction.
"I've always been a hard lifter in the weight room Womens Joe Mixon Jersey , ever since high school," Johnson said. "Buddy yesterday was telling me not to put so much on the squat rack, but sometimes I'm hard at listening to what he is saying. I know he has my best interest, but sometimes I feel like I need to put more weight on, and I like to get under his skin a little bit because it rattles him and he starts using these huge words that no one understands."
Being hurt, Johnson said, was "a blessing in disguise" because he's been able to spend so much time with his young son. There was no father in the picture when Johnson was growing up.
"That I didn't have a father figure in my life, it really pushed me to do everything I can for him," he said, "be at every milestone, be there for anything that's going on in his life. I've seen the little things, like his teeth growing Artemi Panarin Jersey , him walking, crawling, his laughing, just being there for every little thing that happens in his life. "
The Steelers aren’t going to see Le'Veon Bell until Week 1 unless the running back gets a long-term deal, but Bell said on Instagram Live that he is not sitting out the season.
Instead, Bell said he will follow what he did last year, skipping training camp before signing the franchise tag tender the week of the season opener.
鈥淗onestly, no, I’m not going to sit out,鈥?Bell said in the chat, via Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. 鈥淚’m going to be in the facility Week 1. It’s going to be a rerun of last year. I’m not going to camp. I’m not doing nothing else extra, OTAs Youth Ryan Shazier Jersey , none of that.
鈥淚’m going to strictly go to what I have to go to. I want to win every game. I want to have the best statistical career that I [possibly] can, so I want to play in every game that I can possibly play.鈥?/p>
The Steelers have until July 16 to work out a long-term deal with Bell. Otherwise, he will play under the one-year, $14.54 million tender.
鈥淗opefully, when it comes down to it, we won’t have to deal with [sitting out],鈥?Bell said. 鈥淲e’ll get a deal done. That’s the biggest thing. We want to get a deal done. . . . If not, I’ll handle it from there, but I definitely won’t be in camp. It’s basically a rerun of last year.鈥?/p> New York Giants Jerseys
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