What This Story Is About
The Tennessee Titans will be inducting former running back Chris Johnson into the Ring of Honor during the team’s Week 1 game against the Jets.
Why It Matters
Johnson recently revealed his ongoing battle with ALS, a rapidly progressing neurological disease that attacks nerve cells, affecting voluntary muscle control and movement, leading to progressive weakness and disability.
What Happens Next
The induction ceremony will take place on September 13, during halftime of the Titans’ game against the New York Jets.
For Context
Following Johnson’s revelation, the Ice Bucket Challenge was revised, which exists to raise money that will go to future research on the terminal disease.
Catch Up
Titans legendary running back Chris Johnson revives Ice Bucket Challenge for ALS research after diagnosis.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - The Tennessee Titans announced on Friday that the organization will be holding a ceremony for a special former player during the Week opener against the New York Jets.
On September 13, the Titans will induct star running back Chris Johnson into the team’s Ring of Honor. With the Jets in town, Johnson will have the opportunity to revisit two of his former teams on the same day.
The game kicks off at noon and the ceremony for Johnson will be held during halftime.
The Titans drafted Johnson in the first round (24th overall) in 2008, after which he quickly became one of the most dynamic players in the National Football League.
“Chris Johnson holds a special place in the hearts of our organization and our fans,” said Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk. “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. We look forward to welcoming him home on Sept. 13 and officially inducting him into the Titans Ring of Honor.”
Johnson’s legendary career with the Titans
Johnson ran for 7,965 yards during his six seasons in a Titans jersey.
In 2009, just his second season in the NFL, Johnson joined the exclusive 2,000-yard club when he ran for 2,006 yards and averaged more than 125 yards per game.
At the time, only five players had accomplished the feat. The elite group has grown since, to just nine players, after Saquon Barkley ran for 2,005 yards for the Philadelphia Eagles.
As a Titan, Johnson earned three Pro Bowl selections and was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2009. His 7,965 rushing yards are the fourth-most in franchise history, and his 58 touchdowns also come in at fourth in franchise annals.
He went on to play four more seasons after leaving Nashville, rounding out his career with the Jets and Arizona Cardinals.
Johnson’s ALS reveal
Johnson made headlines recently after revealing to NFL Hall of Famer and ABC host Michael Strahan the details of his ongoing battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The taped interview aired during Good Morning America (GMA) on June 29.
He said he was diagnosed with the terminal disease in 2025, at the age of 39.
GMA reported that Johnson’s diagnosis appears to be a case of “sporadic ALS,” which is the most common form of the disease. He spoke with Strahan through a speech-generated device that creates audible words from his eye movements.
Strahan asked Johnson why he wanted the public to know about his condition.
“If sharing my story helps even one person get diagnosed sooner, inspires more research, or gives another family hope, then it’s worth it,” Johnson explained to Strahan through the speech device.
ALS, sometimes called Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a rapidly progressing neurological disease that progressively shuts down the body, according to the ALS Association.
ALS attacks nerve cells that control voluntary muscles, and when these cells die, voluntary muscle control and movement are lost, which leads to progressive weakness and disability.
People living with ALS eventually lose their strength, ability to move their arms, legs, and body, and the ability to breathe on their own. In most cases, their minds remain sharp and alert.
Although ALS progresses differently for each patient, the average life expectancy for people with ALS is 2 to 5 years, according to the ALS Association.
To learn more about ALS and the research involved in finding a cure, visit here.
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