Chris Johnson’s public bravery deserves public recognition.

Chris Johnson’s public bravery deserves public recognition.

(ThyBlackMan.com) In the National Football League, organization often highlight their best all-time players by retiring their jersey or putting their names and jersey numbers in the Ring of Honor. The Ring of Honor gives that former player a major link to their former NFL franchise with their name being added to the inside of the stadium for NFL fans to view and appreciate indefinitely. Honoring former franchise greats can be controversial at times based on their playing credentials being worthy of doing so. It is easily safe to say that a former athlete that is worthy of being added to his team’s Ring of Honor is former Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson. The Titans organization announced in recent weeks that they will induct Johnson into their Ring of Honor during the team’s 2026 season opener at Nissan Stadium on Sunday, September 13. That announcement followed the recent public interview featuring Chris Johnson where he bravely revealed that he has been diagnosed with ALS.

Athletes going public with personal health problems should always be viewed positively. Professional athletes are some of the best examples of the incredible things that the human body can do as they perform on the playing field or playing court. For pro athletes to reveal that they are dealing with significant health issues is a moment of vulnerability that should be applauded especially for male athletes. In sports, athletes are not expected to show vulnerability or weakness so coming forward about health issues is the opposite of what they have known to do as they have played their sport for decades as a kid, teenager, and then adult as a professional.

During the 2010s, one of the most exciting running backs in the National Football League was Chris Johnson. The former first round pick entered the NFL from a smaller conference school, East Carolina, and Johnson himself did not have the size of fellow first round running backs such as Darren McFadden, Jonathan Stewart or Rashard Mendenhall. However, Johnson’s rare speed set him apart from virtually every running back of his era. A scatback in the mold of former Eagles halfback Brian Westbrook, Chris Johnson was a homerun hitter who began his NFL career with six consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons. However, his second NFL season led to his nickname “CJ2K” being born when he ran for 2006 rushing yards in 2009 and displayed that his frame could hold up to be a featured back in a major way.

Finish story here; Chris Johnson’s public bravery deserves public recognition.