Titans to honor ALS-diagnosed Chris Johnson by inducting him into Ring of Honor

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans will induct Chris Johnson, the sixth man in NFL history to run for 2,000 yards in a season, into their Ring of Honor during halftime of their regular-season opener Sept. 13.

The Titans announced the honor Friday following Johnson's announcement June 29 on ABC’s “ Good Morning America ” that he was diagnosed with ALS, the fatal nervous system disease a year earlier.

“Chris Johnson holds a special place in the hearts of our organization and our fans,” Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk said. “His stats speak for themselves, and he will forever remain a leader in our record books, but the man behind the yardage deserves just as much celebration."

Johnson was the 24th pick overall in 2008 by the Titans and played six of his 10 seasons in the NFL with Tennessee. He rushed for 7,965 yards and had 58 total touchdowns in that span. Those totals both rank fourth for a franchise that also had Earl Campbell, Eddie George and Derrick Henry.

He earned the nickname “CJ2K” in 2009 when he finished with 2,006 yards rushing to join O.J. Simpson, Eric Dickerson, Barry Sanders, Terrell Davis and Jamal Lewis in the exclusive 2,000-yard club. Johnson also had 2,509 yards from scrimmage, a single-season record that still stands in the NFL.

That earned him The Associated Press NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award.

Johnson will be inducted at halftime of the Titans' opener against the New York Jets, the team the running back played for in 2014. He becomes the 20th inductee into the Titans' Ring of Honor with former radio analyst and assistant coach Dave McGinnis being inducted posthumously later this season.

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