Chris Johnson, who was best known for holding the fastest 40 yard dash time in NFL combine history, officially retired from the NFL on Monday. The former All-Pro Running Back announced his retirement in a post on Instagram, thanking the organizations he played for, as well as his teammates. Johnson last played for the Arizona Cardinals in 2017 and was not signed by any team as a free agent this summer.
He led the league in rushing in 2009 with 2,006 yards. After that season, Johnson spent the next decade battling injuries. Although he was never quite the explosive 2,000-yard rusher again, he had a few seasons of 1,000 yards rushing. Johnson may have never reached his full potential as an NFL running back, but he was somebody who changed the culture of the NFL during his time in Tennessee.
After six seasons with the Titans, they decided to move on from Johnson who landed with the Jets. In one season in New York, he ran for 663 yards and 1 touchdown on 155 carries. That performance was not good enough for the Jets to resign him the following year. A month after the Jets released Johnson he was hit by a bullet in a drive-by shooting.
Once Chris Johnson recovered from his gunshot wound, he was ready to get back on the field. By then he was already 30 years old, so the window was closing on his career in the NFL. The Arizona Cardinals took a chance on the veteran Running Back. Once the Cardinals lost a couple of player to injury Johnson got the opportunity to start. In 9 starts, Johnson ran for 814 yards and 3 touchdowns. Although it was not another 2,000-yard season, it was a strong finish to a great career.
