Just weeks after he revealed his ALS diagnosis to the world, the Tennessee Titans announced that franchise legend and running back Chris Johnson will be honored during the 2026 season.
The team announced that Johnson will be inducted into the Titans’ Ring of Honor, which makes him the 20th former player to receive the honor in franchise history.
Johnson’s induction will come on Sept. 13 during the regular-season opener against the New York Jets, another one of his former teams.
“Chris Johnson holds a special place in the hearts of our organization and our fans,” 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.”
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“We look forward to welcoming him home on Sept. 13 and officially inducting him into the Titans Ring of Honor,” she added.
A former first-round pick of the Titans in 2008, Johnson became a franchise legend over his six years with the team, so the honor is well-deserved.
Johnson really put himself on the national map in 2009, when he broke 2,000 yards on the ground and tallied an NFL record 2,509 yards from scrimmage, a record that still stands.
The three-time Pro Bowler posted a 1,000-yard campaign in each of his six years with the Titans and ranks fourth in franchise history in rushing yards.
After his stint in Tennessee, Johnson appeared in games with the Jets and Arizona Cardinals over the next four years.
Chris Johnson’s ALS diagnosis
Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson (28) speeds past the Pittsburgh Steelers defense during the second quarter at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh on Sept. 8, 2013.
In an interview with Good Morning America on June 29, Johnson announced his ALS diagnosis while using a speech-generation device.
“It’s continued to progress much faster than I ever imagined. I want people to understand just how quickly ALS can attack your body. Just over a year ago, I was picking up my 7-year-old daughter so she’d make a wish with her birthday cake,” Johnson said through the device. “Today, I couldn’t do that.”
Johnson added that there is no history of ALS in his family, which has re-ignited the debate about the connection between the disease and repetitive head trauma, a subject Johnson addressed on social after the interview.
“I hope the NFL steps up, invests in research and continues working to protect players — both now and for generations to come,” Johnson said. “Together, we can push toward better treatments and, one day, a cure.”