[KC Chiefs.com] Chiefs President Carl Peterson announced on Monday that running back Larry Johnson has been named the club’s 2005 Derrick Thomas Award winner.

As a tribute to the late Derrick Thomas, the Chiefs annual Most Valuable Player Award was renamed in his honor following his tragic death in February of 2000.

In just his third NFL season, Johnson emerged as one of the league’s top rushers in 2005 and enjoyed one of the most productive seasons by a RB in Chiefs history.

Named to his initial Pro Bowl this season, Johnson led the AFC and ranked third in the NFL with a franchise record 1,750 rushing yards. That rushing yardage total surpassed the previous record of 1,615 yards established by RB Priest Holmes in 2002.

En route to claiming the Chiefs MVP award Johnson also earned AFC Offensive Player of the Month honors for the month of November, as well as two AFC Offensive Player of the Week accolades.