One of the most electric running backs of his time, Chris Johnson has today announced his retirement from the NFL. Johnson, who played his college ball at East Carolina, was selected 24th overall by the Tennessee Titans in the 2008 NFL Draft and he spent his first six seasons with the organization.
He eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards in all six seasons with Tennessee, including an incredible 2009 campaign in which he rushed for an NFL-best 2,006 yards and finished with a league-high 2,509 yards from scrimmage, to go along with 16 total touchdowns (14 rushing).
Today, Johnson released a statement through his agents which reads:
"I would like to take this time to thank my family, friends, fans and teammate who have given their continued support throughout my 10 year career. My time in the NFL has given me so many opportunities and memories. After a great deal of thought and consideration, I have decided to close this chapter of my life and look forward to the new possibilities that have been afforded to me. I would like to thank the Tennessee Titans, New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals organizations, who provided me with an opportunity to play the game I love and to be a part of their amazing communities. Playing in the NFL was a honor and I am humbled and blessed to have been able to be a part of the league for 10 years."
Johnson played for the Jets in 2014 following his six-year stint with the Titans, and spent the last three seasons of his career with the Arizona Cardinals.