The Kansas City Chiefs made several additions to the roster during the 2026 NFL Draft, which included selecting Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson in the fifth round. This past weekend, the team had many of those rookies in the building for the first time, as they held rookie minicamp from May 1-3.
The rookies showed the coaching staff what they are capable of, and head coach Andy Reid shared some praise for Johnson, comparing him to a recent NFL great. When speaking to the media, Reid said that the running back has shown flashes of LeSean McCoy.
"He's got that lateral quickness. I mean, we had LeSean McCoy here for a bit, and he's got a little bit of that to him. Where he can shift gears and still get himself upfield quickly," Reid said.
And while that's praise, it also adds pressure to Johnson's plate. McCoy finished his career as a six-time Pro Bowler, two-time First Team All-Pro, and two-time Super Bowl champion. Even the slightest comparison between the two will raise some eyebrows.
Andy Reid’s Praise for Emmett Johnson Puts More Pressure on Rookie RB
The Chiefs added Kenneth Walker in free agency as the bell cow in the backfield, but there's room for Johnson to have a role within this offense. McCoy spent the 2019 season with Kansas City, where he finished with 465 rushing yards, 181 receiving yards, and five total touchdowns. Although he was on the tail end of his career, he still provided the team with a weapon in the backfield, as they won Super Bowl LIV.
And before he signed with the Chiefs, he spent four seasons with Reid and the Philadelphia Eagles (2009-2012). During that stretch, he had 3,866 rushing yards, 1,588 receiving yards, and 38 total touchdowns. He was a serious weapon in that offense, so the fact that Reid sees the similarities with the rookie is telling.
Johnson is a player who should certainly get playing time within the offense. He has reliable hands and is a pass catcher with great lateral explosion. The Athletic's Dane Burgler wrote in his takeaway that, "Johnson is quick and balanced between the tackles to stack cuts, and his pass-catching savvy will be an asset at the next level, ideally for a zone scheme. He is an intriguing change-of-pace back who will bring versatility to an NFL backfield."
Last season with Nebraska, he posted career-highs in rushing yards (1,451), receptions (46), receiving yards (370), and total touchdowns (15). He was definitely productive, and based on Reid's early impressions, he'll be someone who has a role.
While that's exciting, the comparison to McCoy is something that fans may be attached to and could bring up down the line. Of course, comparisons are nothing new, but they can sometimes negatively impact a player if their play doesn't match those expectations.
We are in the early phases, so we don't know how it's going to pan out, but this comparison will likely come up again, and it could just add another level of stress onto the rookie's plate.
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