Week 8: Ty Johnson, New York Jets

New York Jets running back Ty Johnson, who played at the University of Maryland, has been named the DC Touchdown Club Pro Football Player of the Week.

Johnson made a highlight-reel play, catching a short pass, shedding two would-be tacklers and then bouncing off a third defender while managing to stay in bounds for a 19-yard touchdown that sparked the Jets’ fourth-quarter comeback for a surprising 34-31 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

It was the first touchdown catch of the season for Johnson, who finished with five catches for 71 yards. He also rushed four times for 15 yards.

Johnson graduated from Maryland in 2018 third in school history in all-purpose yardage. After not being invited to the NFL Draft Combine, he wowed scouts at Maryland’s Pro Day and was taken by the Detroit Lions in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

In October 2020, Johnson was waived by the Lions, but signed with the Jets the next day. He settled into a role as the Jets’ third-down running back and also had a breakout game as he rushed for 104 yards and one touchdown in a loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.