Chiefs Rookie Emmett Johnson Goes 73 Yards for First TD in Loss to Broncos

Kansas City Chiefs rookie running back Emmett Johnson turned a third-and-10 into a 73-yard touchdown from Patrick Mahomes on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, the first score of his NFL career. It was a loud highlight in a game the Chiefs lost, 28-24, to the Denver Broncos, according to ESPN and the Associated Press.

The play that lit up Arrowhead

The touchdown came in the second quarter. Per Forbes, Denver showed a zero-blitz look, and Mahomes floated the ball over the top to Johnson. The Chiefs' own highlight clip, posted on Chiefs.com, describes the rookie as wide open.

The backstory gives it extra weight. Yahoo Sports reported at halftime that it was the Chiefs' longest touchdown play and longest reception since Tyreek Hill went 75 yards against the Browns on Sept. 12, 2021. KSHB makes the same comparison, calling it the longest offensive touchdown for Kansas City since the 75-yard Mahomes-to-Hill connection in the 2021 opener, a 33-29 win over Cleveland.

A first half to remember

Johnson was not finished. Yahoo Sports noted that a 38-yard reception later in the half set up a 45-yard Harrison Butker field goal with 19 seconds left, sending the Chiefs to the locker room with a 17-13 lead. His first-half line: three catches for 119 yards and a touchdown.

Perfect hands, a big return

By the end, Johnson had five catches for 128 yards and a score, according to Chiefs.com, and ESPN's player page shows he caught all five of his targets. 247Sports adds one carry for 15 yards.

He also made a mark on special teams. After the Broncos took the lead with a touchdown, Johnson returned a kickoff 44 yards, per Forbes. The 247Sports account says the return came in the fourth quarter and helped set up the Chiefs' final drive. Chiefs.com cites 187 all-purpose yards for Johnson, a total that matches his 128 receiving, 15 rushing and 44 return yards.

The result

The Chiefs' last push fell short. Kansas City dropped to 5-2, while Denver improved to 6-2, according to Arrowhead Pride.

Why it matters

Johnson was a fifth-round pick, taken 161st overall out of Nebraska. A player chosen that deep produced the Chiefs' longest touchdown play since 2021, according to Yahoo Sports, in a divisional game, and the offense around him has plenty of star power. Even in a loss, the rookie gave Kansas City something to talk about.