The New England Patriots are heading to Super Bowl LX, and while the spotlight naturally falls on the stars, two under-the-radar contributors-D’Ernest Johnson and Leonard Taylor III-played meaningful roles in the AFC Championship Game before reverting to the practice squad on Monday.
Let’s start with Johnson. The veteran running back, now in his sixth NFL season, made his presence felt in the Patriots’ gritty 10-7 win over the Denver Broncos at a snow-covered Mile High.
Elevated for the fifth time this season, Johnson returned two kickoffs for 59 yards-an often-overlooked contribution that helped flip field position in a tightly contested, low-scoring battle. At 5-foot-11 and 205 pounds, he’s been a steady depth piece behind Rhamondre Stevenson and rookie TreVeyon Henderson, cycling between the practice squad and active roster throughout the year.
Johnson’s journey is the kind of NFL story that doesn’t get told enough. An undrafted free agent out of South Florida in 2018, he cut his teeth in the now-defunct Alliance of American Football before carving out a role in the league.
He’s played in 108 combined NFL games, tallying 1,014 rushing yards on 228 carries and adding 467 receiving yards on 53 catches. He’s started three games and scored three touchdowns across stints with five different teams, including the Browns, Jaguars, Ravens, and Cardinals.
While his name may not dominate headlines, Johnson has quietly built a résumé that speaks to perseverance and versatility-especially on special teams, where he’s logged 41 snaps this season alone.
Then there’s Leonard Taylor III, the 23-year-old defensive tackle who delivered one of the game’s biggest momentum swings. With just under five minutes left in the fourth quarter and the Broncos lining up for a 45-yard field goal to tie the game, Taylor broke through and blocked the attempt by veteran kicker Wil Lutz. In a game where every point was hard-earned, that play loomed large.
Taylor logged 16 defensive snaps and four on special teams in the win-his sixth elevation of the season. Like Johnson, he reached the regular-season limit for standard call-ups, but the postseason reset gave the Patriots another chance to tap into his disruptive potential.
Since joining New England midseason after being waived by the Jets, Taylor has made the most of his opportunities, contributing eight tackles and a quarterback hit. Across 22 games in his young NFL career, the former Miami Hurricane has totaled 35 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and five tackles for loss.
With their practice squad now featuring two open slots-following the releases of defensive end Darrell Taylor and wide receiver Trent Sherfield Sr.-the Patriots also activated the 21-day practice windows for running back Terrell Jennings and defensive tackle Joshua Farmer, both of whom are working their way back from injured reserve.
As the Patriots prepare for a Super Bowl showdown with the Seattle Seahawks, their 53-man roster is locked in. And while Johnson and Taylor may not be on that final list (for now), their fingerprints are all over New England’s postseason run. In a league where every inch matters, players like these-elevated when needed, delivering in the clutch-are the kind of depth pieces championship teams are built on.