Chris Johnson insists he can still run with any back in the NFL.
He’s not going to try to be one anymore, however.
According to Jim Wyatt of the team’s official website, Johnson is signing a one-day deal to retire as a member of the Titans today.
“I feel like if I trained the right way, I’d still be in the 4.2s,” Johnson said. “I know for sure I’d get 1,000 yards if I laced them up.
“Shoot, that’s not even a question. You put me in an offense where I’m the starting back, there’s no way I wouldn’t get 1,000 yards. I could still do it, but it’s time to move onto the next situation.”
If he could, it’s reasonable to wonder why he isn’t. But Johnson hasn’t played in a year, after a four-game stint with the Cardinals in 2017 that saw him average 2.5 yards per carry.
Nevertheless, he had a remarkable career, which he signaled with the 4.24-second 40-yard dash he ran at the 2008 NFL Scouting Combine.
After rushing for 1,228 yards as a rookie, he exploded for 2,006 yards in 2009, earning the CJ2K nickname.
Johnson finished his career with 9,651 rushing yards. He spent a year with the Jets and three seasons with the Cardinals.
