Success can be short lived in the NFL, and one guy who found that out the hard way during his time in the league was running back David Johnson. After bursting onto the scene in 2015 with the Arizona Cardinals, Johnson put together a dominant two-season stretch to open his career with the Cardinals. After that, though, injuries limited Johnson throughout the rest of his career, and he was never the same player again.

Johnson spent the first five seasons of his career with the Cardinals, before latching on with the Houston Texans for two seasons, and the New Orleans Saints for one. Johnson's stint with the Saints ended up being his final act in the NFL, as he didn't find a home during the 2023 campaign, and opted to announce his retirement from the league on Sunday afternoon.

David Johnson was one of the best RBs during his prime with the Cardinals

Arizona Cardinals running back David Johnson (31) celebrates after catching a touchdown during the second half against the Pittsburgh Steelers at State Farm Stadium.
Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Johnson was a third-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, and he initially played behind Chris Johnson as a rookie. As the season went on, David Johnson became more and more involved in the offense, and he ended up putting up some strong numbers that earned him a fourth-place finish in the Offensive Rookie of the Year race (125 CAR, 581 YDS, 8 TD, 36 REC, 457 YDS, 4 TD).

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That set the stage for the 2016 campaign, which was one of the most dominant individual seasons we've seen from a running back in recent memory (293 CAR, 1239 YDS, 16 TD, 80 REC, 879 YDS, 4 TD). This earned Johnson a first-team All-Pro selection and a Pro Bowl berth, and it appeared as if he was on his way to becoming a superstar.

Unfortunately, that was the height of Johnson's career. He played in only one game the ensuing season thanks to a wrist injury, and while he had productive campaigns in 2018 and 2020, they were nowhere close to the heights he hit in 2016. After bouncing around the league and struggling to find his fit, Johnson opted to go out with his head held high.

If injuries didn't hamper Johnson so much, it's fair to wonder just how good he could have become. Not only was Johnson a force on the ground, but he was also extremely productive as a receiver, which made him a true weapon for the Cardinals. It was only one season, but it's safe to say that Johnson made his mark on the NFL with his dominant body of work just in 2016 alone.

Of course, he'd remain in the league for some time before calling it a career, but he simply wasn't the same player. It's a shame that this is the way his career ended up playing out, but that's the nature of the sports industry as a whole. Regardless, Johnson put together a strong career in the NFL, and it will be interesting to see what the future holds for the former star running back.