Chris Johnson (running back) facts for kids
Johnson with the Tennessee Titans in 2010
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | September 23, 1985 Orlando, Florida, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 203 lb (92 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Olympia (Orlando, Florida) | ||||||||||||
| College: | East Carolina (2004–2007) | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2008 / Round: 1 / Pick: 24 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||
Christopher Duan Johnson (born September 23, 1985) is a former professional football running back. He was born in Orlando, Florida. Chris Johnson became famous while playing for East Carolina University. He gained 2,960 all-purpose yards and scored 24 touchdowns in his senior year.
The Tennessee Titans picked Johnson in the first round of the 2008 NFL draft. This happened after he ran the 40-yard dash in a record-breaking 4.24 seconds at the NFL Combine. Johnson was chosen for the Pro Bowl in his first three years. In 2009, he led the NFL in rushing with 2,006 yards. He became one of only nine players to ever rush for over 2,000 yards in a season. He also broke a record for total yards from scrimmage with 2,509. This amazing season earned him the nickname CJ2K and the 2009 Offensive Player of the Year Award. Johnson rushed for over 1,000 yards in all six seasons with the Titans. He later played for the New York Jets and the Arizona Cardinals. He retired in 2017 after signing a special one-day contract with the Tennessee Titans.
Contents
Early Life and High School Sports
Chris Johnson was born in Orlando, Florida, on September 23, 1985. He played football at Olympia High School in Orlando. Experts did not rank him as a top running back in 2004. He chose to attend East Carolina University.
Track and Field Skills
Johnson was also a great track athlete at Olympia High School. In his senior year (2004), he placed second in the 100 metres at the Florida 4A state championships. He also ran his fastest times of 10.38 seconds in the 100 metres and 21.28 seconds in the 200 metres.
In his junior year, he reached the finals of the Florida State meet. He helped his 4 × 100 meters relay team win national championships.
College Football Career
Johnson received a scholarship to East Carolina University. He studied communications there and played for the East Carolina Pirates. After his football career, he returned to school and graduated in 2020. He was honored by being inducted into the Senior Bowl Hall of Fame in 2023.
Freshman Year (2004)
Johnson made a big impact in his first year. He played in all 11 games and started seven. He was named to the All-Conference USA All-Freshman team. He caught a pass in 10 straight games. He led his team with 561 rushing yards and 765 kick return yards. He had a total of 1,562 all-purpose yards. Johnson scored five rushing touchdowns. He set eight school records for a freshman.
Sophomore Year (2005)
Johnson started all 11 games as a tailback. He led the team with 684 rushing yards and six touchdowns. He also caught 35 passes for 356 yards and two scores. He had 459 kickoff return yards. Johnson led the team with 1,499 all-purpose yards. He set a school record with 67 career catches as a running back.
Junior Year (2006)
Johnson missed spring practice due to neck surgery. He returned for his junior season with 972 all-purpose yards. He had 314 rushing yards, 176 receiving yards, and 482 kickoff return yards. He played in 12 games and started five. He was named to the All-Conference USA first-team as a return specialist. He broke the school record for receiving yards by a running back with 768 yards. He had one 100-yard rushing game and four rushing touchdowns.
Senior Year (2007)
Johnson had a great senior season. He was named a first-team returner and second-team running back in Conference USA. He started the season with a rushing touchdown against Virginia Tech. He had a career-high 136 yards on five catches and two touchdowns against North Carolina. He also scored a rushing touchdown in that game.
Johnson rushed for 147 yards and two touchdowns against Houston. He gained 89 rushing yards and two scores against Central Florida. He also caught five passes for 89 yards and a touchdown. He returned four kickoffs for 194 yards, including a 96-yard touchdown. He finished that game with 272 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns.
Against Memphis, Johnson rushed for a career-high 301 yards and four touchdowns. He also had 95 yards on kick returns. This gave him a career-high 396 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns. In his final college game, the 2007 Hawai'i Bowl, Johnson rushed for 223 yards and a touchdown. He also had 32 receiving yards and a score. He returned six kicks for 153 yards. He set an NCAA FBS record with 408 all-purpose yards in that game.
College Statistics
| Season | Team | GP | Rushing | Receiving | Kick Returns | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Att | Yds | Avg | Y/G | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | |||
| 2004 | ECU | 11 | 134 | 561 | 4.2 | 51.0 | 86 | 5 | 32 | 236 | 7.4 | 29 | 2 | 37 | 765 | 20.7 | 39 | 0 |
| 2005 | ECU | 11 | 176 | 684 | 3.9 | 62.2 | 39 | 6 | 35 | 356 | 10.2 | 81 | 2 | 21 | 459 | 21.9 | 43 | 0 |
| 2006 | ECU | 12 | 78 | 314 | 4.0 | 26.2 | 43 | 4 | 21 | 176 | 8.4 | 17 | 0 | 22 | 482 | 21.9 | 96 | 1 |
| 2007 | ECU | 13 | 236 | 1,423 | 6.0 | 109.5 | 102 | 17 | 37 | 528 | 14.3 | 78 | 6 | 36 | 1,009 | 28.0 | 99 | 1 |
| Total | 47 | 624 | 2,982 | 4.8 | 63.4 | 86 | 32 | 125 | 1,296 | 10.4 | 81 | 10 | 116 | 2,715 | 23.4 | 99 | 2 | |
Professional Football Career
NFL Draft and Combine
Before the NFL Scouting Combine, experts thought Johnson would be picked in the second or third round of the 2008 NFL draft. But at the combine, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.24 seconds. This tied the fastest time ever recorded at the combine using electronic timers. His record was later broken in 2017. Johnson also performed well in other drills.
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand size | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Wonderlic | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
197 lb (89 kg) |
30+3⁄4 in (0.78 m) |
8+1⁄2 in (0.22 m) |
4.24 s | 1.40 s | 2.41 s | 35 in (0.89 m) |
10 ft 10 in (3.30 m) |
10/21 | |||
| All values from NFL Combine; Wonderlic test taken twice | ||||||||||||
Tennessee Titans (2008–2013)
The Tennessee Titans selected Johnson as the 24th overall pick in the 2008 NFL draft. He was the highest-picked player from East Carolina since 1992. In July 2008, he signed a five-year contract worth $12 million.
Rookie Season (2008)
Johnson played his first professional game on September 7, 2008. He rushed for 93 yards and caught a touchdown pass. In his second game, he ran for 109 yards. On September 28, he scored his first career rushing touchdown. He finished his rookie season with 1,228 rushing yards and 10 total touchdowns. He led all rookies in rushing yards per game. Johnson was chosen for the 2009 Pro Bowl. He finished second in the Rookie of the Year voting.
Johnson shared carries with running back LenDale White in 2008. They were called "Smash and Dash." White was "Smash" for his power, and Johnson was "Dash" for his speed.
Historic 2009 Season
Many people consider Johnson's 2009 season one of the best ever for a running back. In Week 2, he rushed for 197 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught nine passes for 87 yards and a touchdown. He had 228 rushing yards and two touchdowns against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He followed that with 135 rushing yards and two touchdowns against the San Francisco 49ers. The next week, he had 132 rushing yards and two touchdowns. He also caught nine passes for 100 yards.
Johnson rushed for 2,006 yards in 2009. He became one of only nine players in NFL history to reach the 2,000 rushing yards club. He averaged 5.6 yards per carry and 125.4 yards per game, leading the league. He also set an NFL record with 2,509 total yards from scrimmage. This amazing performance earned him the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year award. He was named to his second Pro Bowl and was called "CJ2K."
2010 Season
Johnson started the 2010 season with a 76-yard touchdown run. He finished the game with 142 rushing yards. This extended his streak of 100-yard rushing games to 12. The Pittsburgh Steelers ended his 100-yard streak in Week 2. He had 125 rushing yards against the New York Giants. He gained 131 yards and two touchdowns against the Dallas Cowboys. He also had 111 rushing yards and a touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Johnson finished the 2010 season with 1,364 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. He was selected for the 2011 Pro Bowl, his third in three years.
Later Titans Years (2011–2013)
Before the 2011 season, Johnson held out for a new contract. On September 1, he became the highest-paid running back in the NFL. He signed a four-year, $53.5 million contract extension. Despite some struggles, he finished the 2011 season with 1,047 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
In 2012, Johnson had a slow start. But in Week 4, he rushed for 141 yards. In Week 7, he ran for 195 yards and two touchdowns against the Buffalo Bills. He broke an NFL record with his fourth rushing touchdown of 80 yards or more. He later extended this record with an 80-yard touchdown against the Chicago Bears. In Week 15, he had a franchise-record 94-yard touchdown run. This was the second-longest in Monday Night Football history. He finished the 2012 season with 1,243 rushing yards and six touchdowns.
Johnson started the 2013 season with 70 rushing yards. He had 150 rushing yards and two touchdowns against the St. Louis Rams. He also gained 86 rushing yards and two touchdowns against the Indianapolis Colts. He finished his last season with the Titans with 1,077 rushing yards and six touchdowns. The Titans released Johnson on April 4, 2014.
New York Jets (2014)
Johnson signed a three-year contract with the New York Jets in April 2014. He finished the 2014 season with 663 rushing yards and one touchdown. This was a career-low for him. The Jets decided not to keep him for the second year of his contract.
Arizona Cardinals (2015–2017)
Comeback Season (2015)
Johnson signed a one-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals in August 2015. He had a great season, ranking among the top three in rushing yards for much of the year. He rushed for 110 yards and two touchdowns against the San Francisco 49ers. He also gained 122 yards and a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens. In November 2015, Johnson broke his tibia during a game. He finished the 2015 season with 814 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He was named a Pro Bowl alternate.
Final Years (2016–2017)
Johnson re-signed with the Cardinals in March 2016. His playing time was limited because David Johnson became a star running back for the Cardinals. Chris Johnson was placed on injured reserve in October 2016 due to a groin injury. He finished the season with 95 rushing yards and one touchdown. He re-signed with the Cardinals in July 2017 but was released in September. He re-signed again on September 12, 2017. He was released again in October 2017. He played in four games that season, rushing for 114 yards.
Retirement
On November 5, 2018, Chris Johnson announced he was retiring from the NFL. He played for 10 seasons. On April 24, 2019, Johnson signed a special one-day contract. This allowed him to officially retire as a member of the Tennessee Titans.
NFL Career Statistics
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year | |
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
Regular Season
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2008 | TEN | 15 | 14 | 251 | 1,228 | 4.9 | 66T | 9 | 43 | 260 | 6.0 | 25 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2009 | TEN | 16 | 16 | 358 | 2,006 | 5.6 | 91T | 14 | 50 | 503 | 10.1 | 69T | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| 2010 | TEN | 16 | 16 | 316 | 1,364 | 4.3 | 76T | 11 | 44 | 245 | 5.6 | 25 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| 2011 | TEN | 16 | 16 | 262 | 1,047 | 4.0 | 48T | 4 | 57 | 418 | 7.3 | 34 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| 2012 | TEN | 16 | 15 | 276 | 1,243 | 4.5 | 94T | 6 | 34 | 219 | 6.4 | 22 | 0 | 5 | 4 |
| 2013 | TEN | 16 | 16 | 279 | 1,077 | 3.9 | 30T | 6 | 42 | 345 | 8.2 | 66T | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| 2014 | NYJ | 16 | 6 | 155 | 663 | 4.3 | 47 | 1 | 24 | 151 | 6.3 | 26 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | ARI | 11 | 9 | 196 | 814 | 4.2 | 62 | 3 | 6 | 58 | 9.7 | 40 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 2016 | ARI | 4 | 0 | 25 | 95 | 3.8 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | ARI | 4 | 3 | 45 | 114 | 2.5 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 43 | 8.6 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 130 | 111 | 2,163 | 9,651 | 4.5 | 94T | 55 | 307 | 2,255 | 7.3 | 69T | 9 | 21 | 16 | |
Postseason
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2008 | TEN | 1 | 1 | 11 | 72 | 6.5 | 32 | 1 | 1 | 28 | 28.0 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | ARI | 0 | 0 | did not play due to injury | |||||||||||
| Career | 1 | 1 | 11 | 72 | 6.5 | 32 | 1 | 1 | 28 | 28.0 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
NFL Records
Chris Johnson holds several impressive NFL records:
- He is the only player to have a touchdown of 50, 60, and 90 yards in one game (2009).
- He holds the record for most total scrimmage yards in a single season: 2,509 (2009).
- He also has the most total scrimmage yards in one month: 968 (November 2009).
- Johnson is the only player with six touchdown runs over 80 yards. No other player has more than four.
- He is the only player with four touchdown runs over 85 yards.
- He is the only player to have three 80-yard touchdown runs in a single season more than once (2009, 2012).
- He was the first player with six straight games of 125+ rushing yards and a 5.0+ yards per carry average. This broke Jim Brown's record from 1958.
- He was the first player with at least 1,900 rushing yards and 400 receiving yards in the same season (2009).
- He was also the first player with at least 1,900 rushing yards and 50 receptions in the same season (2009).
- He has the second-most consecutive games rushing for over 100 yards (12 games).
Television Appearances
In 2013, Johnson was a special guest judge on an episode of the TV show Ink Master.
Before the 2013 NFL season, Johnson was part of a National Geographic documentary. It was called "Man v. Cheetah." In the show, Johnson raced a cheetah on a 220-foot track. The cheetah won the race.
