Ty Marquise Johnson Bio
Ty Marquise Johnson (born September 17, 1997) is an American professional football running back and kickoff returner for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Maryland Terrapins from 2015 through 2018, then entered the NFL when he was selected by the Detroit Lions in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Johnson has also spent time with the New York Jets and is currently in his second stint with the Buffalo Bills, where he has carved out a role as a dependable change-of-pace back and a steady contributor on special teams.
Standing 5 feet 10 inches tall and listed at 210 pounds, Johnson is a compact, quick-footed back whose career has been built on versatility. Over the course of his NFL career, he has accumulated 1,470 rushing yards, 1,277 receiving yards, and 779 return yards, and he has proven durable enough to contribute across the running, receiving, and return phases of the game.
Early Life and Background
Ty Marquise Johnson grew up in Cumberland, Maryland, a small city in the western part of the state. He attended Fort Hill High School, where he became a multi-year starter at both running back and defensive back for the Fort Hill Sentinels. Cumberland’s football culture gave him an early stage to develop his skills, and he quickly became one of the most recognizable high school players in the region.
During his junior and senior seasons in 2013 and 2014, Johnson led the Sentinels to back-to-back Maryland 1A State Football Championships. After each of those championship seasons, the Cumberland Times-News named him Area High School Football Player of the Year, and in 2014 he was recognized on the Maryland High School Consensus All-State team selected by the Maryland High School Football Foundation. Across his two full varsity seasons, Johnson was responsible for nearly 5,000 all-purpose yards and 65 touchdowns, an exceptional statistical résumé for a small-school player.
Path to American Football
Coming out of Fort Hill, Johnson was rated as a three-star college prospect, the 20th-best recruit in the state of Maryland, and the 64th-best running back prospect in the country by Rivals. He received a scholarship offer from Maryland in June 2014 during a football camp at Maryland Stadium, then verbally committed to the Terrapins shortly afterward. Johnson officially signed his letter of intent in February 2015, choosing to stay in his home state.
Although several programs expressed interest in him, Johnson did not receive a scholarship offer from any other Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) program besides Maryland. He went on to spend four seasons with the Terrapins, finishing his college career with 4,196 all-purpose yards, the third-highest total in program history. In 2016, he set the Terrapins’ single-season yards-per-carry record by averaging 9.1 yards per rushing attempt, and as a kick returner he racked up 1,194 career return yards with two return touchdowns, one covering 100 yards against Ohio State in 2017 and another covering 98 yards against Michigan in 2018. Johnson graduated from Maryland in December 2018.
Ty Marquise Johnson Career
Early Career (2019–2020)
Johnson was selected by the Detroit Lions in the sixth round, 186th overall, of the 2019 NFL Draft. Although he did not receive an invitation to the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine, he impressed scouts at Maryland’s pro day, where representatives from 29 NFL teams attended. He was timed in the 40-yard dash at anywhere between 4.3 and 4.4 seconds, with one scout clocking him as fast as 4.26 seconds, faster than any running back recorded at that year’s combine. He also posted 27 repetitions on the bench press at 225 pounds and a 34-inch vertical jump.
Johnson made his NFL debut in the Lions’ 2019 regular-season opener against the Arizona Cardinals, recording a six-yard carry in a 27–27 tie. He earned his first career start in Week 10 against the Chicago Bears, finishing that game with five carries for 16 rushing yards. Overall, his rookie season included 63 carries for 273 rushing yards and 24 receptions for 109 receiving yards. He was waived by Detroit on October 1, 2020.
New York Jets Era (2020–2022)
On October 2, 2020, Johnson was claimed off waivers by the New York Jets, giving him a quick path back onto an NFL roster. He settled into a complementary role with the Jets, contributing on offense and as a returner. In a Week 13 game against the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020, he rushed 22 times for 104 yards and a touchdown during a 31–28 loss, one of his most productive single-game performances of that stretch.
Two weeks later, Johnson helped the Jets secure their first win of the season against the Los Angeles Rams. He rushed for 16 yards on three carries, added six receptions for 39 yards, and caught an 18-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Sam Darnold that opened the scoring. Johnson was re-signed by the Jets on March 28, 2023, but shortly afterward suffered a torn pectoral muscle during an offseason workout and was released with a non-football injury designation on April 26.
Buffalo Bills Era (2023–Present)
On August 21, 2023, Johnson signed with the Buffalo Bills. He was waived on August 29 and re-signed to the practice squad, but was promoted to the active roster on October 20. Johnson finished the 2023 regular season with 194 all-purpose yards and a receiving touchdown, scored in Week 11 against the New York Jets. He then played in both of Buffalo’s postseason games, a wild-card victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers and a divisional-round loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, rushing 15 times for 66 yards in those games and pushing past 1,000 career rushing yards in the process.
Johnson re-signed with the Bills on March 19, 2024, and played in all 17 games that season, making one start. He recorded 41 carries for 213 yards and added 18 receptions for 284 yards, scoring four total touchdowns. On March 11, 2025, he signed a two-year, $5 million contract to remain in Buffalo. In the 2025 season, he added 50 carries for 200 yards and three touchdowns, along with 24 receptions for 263 yards and two more touchdowns, cementing his role as a reliable complementary back and return man.
Driving Style and Strengths
Johnson is a compact, quick-footed back whose game is built on burst, balance, and versatility rather than pure size. He excels in space, has shown the speed to turn short touches into big plays, and has been a steady contributor in the return game. His ability to contribute on third downs as a receiver, paired with his special-teams value, has helped him carve out a long NFL career despite being a sixth-round pick.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Johnson’s signature moments are his back-to-back Maryland 1A state championships at Fort Hill, his record-setting 9.1 yards-per-carry mark at Maryland in 2016, his standout 100-yard kick return against Ohio State in 2017, and his crossing of 1,000 career rushing yards during the 2023 postseason with the Bills. His two-year, $5 million contract in March 2025 marked one of the most significant professional milestones of his career.
Ty Marquise Johnson Career Wins
Although Johnson’s statistical profile is built more on consistent production than on dominant win totals, he has built a steady résumé of milestones across the NFL. His verified regular-season numbers include 1,470 rushing yards, 1,277 receiving yards, and 779 return yards, with eight rushing touchdowns and nine receiving touchdowns, figures that reflect a multi-phase contributor rather than a feature back.
NFL Highlights
Johnson has played in the NFL every year since 2019, suiting up for the Detroit Lions, the New York Jets, and the Buffalo Bills. He made his NFL debut in the 2019 season opener against the Arizona Cardinals, recorded his first career start in Week 10 of 2019 against the Chicago Bears, and has since added playoff appearances with the Bills in 2023 and 2024. His most recent contract came in March 2025, when he signed a two-year, $5 million extension with Buffalo.
Other Wins and Performances
Before turning professional, Johnson led Fort Hill to back-to-back Maryland 1A state championships in 2013 and 2014 and was twice named Cumberland Times-News Area High School Football Player of the Year. At Maryland, he finished third in program history with 4,196 all-purpose yards, and his 9.1 yards-per-carry mark in 2016 remains a Terrapins single-season record.
Ty Marquise Johnson Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Johnson grew up in Cumberland, Maryland, and attended Fort Hill High School, where he became one of the most decorated players in program history. Public information about his parents or extended family is limited, and additional details have not been confirmed.
Personal Life
Johnson is a United States citizen who was born and raised in Cumberland, Maryland. Verified public details about his marital status, spouse, or children are not available at this time.
2025 Season Performance
Johnson’s 2025 campaign with the Buffalo Bills reflected the steady, complementary role he has developed over the last several seasons. After re-signing with Buffalo on a two-year, $5 million contract in March 2025, he remained a fixture in the rotation, contributing on offense and as a returner while helping the Bills push deep into another playoff run.
He finished the 2025 regular season with 50 carries for 200 yards and three rushing touchdowns, while adding 24 receptions for 263 yards and two receiving touchdowns. Those numbers reinforced his value as a third-down and change-of-pace option, particularly in a Buffalo offense that leans on a committee approach out of the backfield.
Heading into 2026, Johnson is under contract with the Bills through the 2026 season under the extension signed in March 2025. With his versatility and special-teams reliability, he is positioned to remain an important piece of Buffalo’s roster as the team continues to compete in the AFC.
