Published: May 6, 2026
Running back Emmett Johnson, whose parents survived Liberia’s civil wars, was selected by Kansas City in the 2026 NFL Draft after a standout season at Nebraska that earned him Big Ten Running Back of the Year honors
MONROVIA — Emmett Johnson arrived at the NFL carrying more than football credentials. The newly drafted Kansas City Chiefs running back said the resilience of his Liberian family, and the sacrifices made by parents who survived the country’s civil wars, fueled every yard of his journey to professional football.
“My biggest motivation is to create a better future for my family and make sure my parents don’t have to struggle anymore,” Johnson said after his selection in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Minneapolis native, whose parents Charles and Precious Johnson are Liberian civil war survivors, said their hardships gave him a constant chip on his shoulder. He also credited family friends Victor and Satta, describing Satta as a mother figure and their children as siblings who supported him through his upbringing.
Johnson arrives in Kansas City off one of the most productive seasons by a Nebraska running back in recent memory. In 12 regular-season games in 2025, he rushed for 1,451 yards and 12 touchdowns on 251 carries, becoming the first Nebraska back since 2018 to surpass 1,000 rushing yards in a season. He added 46 receptions for 370 yards, finishing with 1,821 all-purpose yards among the top totals in college football that year. The performance earned him Big Ten Running Back of the Year and first-team All-Big Ten honors.
Johnson recorded eight 100-yard rushing games, capped the regular season with a career-high 217 yards against Iowa, and made program history against UCLA by becoming the first Nebraska running back to post 100 rushing yards and 100 receiving yards in the same game. Across three seasons, he totaled 2,460 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns, with an additional 702 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns in 37 games.
He heads to Kansas City carrying NFL ambitions and the pride of a family whose story began in Liberia.
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