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Derrick Johnson

LB (retired)

Derrick Johnson: facts drawn from the play-by-play.

FanIQ Research · May 10, 2026 · 6 facts, every one from the play-by-play

13 yrs in KC + 1 in OAK, 1,151 tackles — Chiefs all-time tackles leader. 4x Pro Bowl, 2x All-Pro.

Milestone

Career regular-season totals

Stat	Total
Games	195
Tackles	1,151
Sacks	27.5
INTs	14
FF	14
Pro Bowls	4

Texas LB → 2005 #15 pick → grew from rotational to All-Pro by 2011 → played until age 35.

Trend

DJ Chiefs games by season

Year	Team	Games
2005	KC	16
2008	KC	14
2011	KC	16
2013	KC	16
2015	KC	17
2017	KC	16
2018	LV (OAK)	5

DJ games played by year (career)

Season	Games
2005	16
2008	14
2011	16
2013	16
2015	17
2017	16
2018 LV	5

Came back from TWO Achilles tears (2014 + 2016) — almost no NFL player has ever done that.

Rare

DJ post-injury seasons

Year	Injury	Result
2014	Right Achilles, Wk 1	Out for season
2015	Return	17 G, 116 tackles
2016	Left Achilles, Wk 16	Out
2017	Return at age 34	Pro Bowl

4x Pro Bowler (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017) — one before AND one after his TWO Achilles tears.

Milestone

DJ Pro Bowls

Year	Age	Note
2011	29	First Team All-Pro
2013	31	All-Pro 2nd team
2015	33	Post first Achilles
2017	34	Post second Achilles

Chiefs all-time tackles leader (1,151) — ahead of Gary Spani (999) and Donnie Edwards.

Comparison

KC all-time tackles leaders

Player	Tackles
Derrick Johnson	1,151
Gary Spani	999
Donnie Edwards	695
Tamba Hali	492

Played 195 NFL games but never won a Super Bowl — KC's title came 2 years after he retired.

Anomaly

DJ vs KC SB timing

Year	Event
2017	DJ's last KC year
2018	DJ in OAK (5 games)
2019	DJ retired
2020 (SB LIV)	KC wins first SB since 1970

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