Rudi Johnson, a former star running back of the Cincinnati Bengals, has passed away from an apparent suicide on Monday evening. He was 45.

According to CBS Sports, the Bengals confirmed his passing in an official statement.

"Rudi was a fine person and an excellent running back," Bengals president Mike Brown’s statement read. "He was dependable and productive as a player, and very popular among his teammates. Everyone liked him and saw him as a dear friend. We are deeply saddened by his passing." 

Nicknamed the "Auburn Rambler,” Johnson finished his final year on the Plains with 1,567 yards on the ground, leading the Tigers to a berth in the conference championship game against Florida. He set a record 324 rushing attempts, and his rushing total was the second-most in school history.

Drafted in the fourth round of the 2001 draft by the Bengals, Johnson would go on to be one of the most productive running backs in the history of the franchise.

Starting in 59 of his 81 appearances with the Bengals, he finished his time in Cincinnati with 5,742 career rushing yards, the fourth-highest total in franchise history, and  48 rushing touchdowns, placing him third on the team's all-time list.

During his eight-year career in the NFL, Johnson eclipsed 5,979 yards rushing and 49 touchdowns. He also ran for more than 1,000 yards on three occasions, including a 12-touchdown, 1,458-yard season in 204.

In 2016, Johnson was inducted into the National Junior College Athletic Association's Football Hall of Fame.