NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans announced Friday that legendary running back Chris Johnson will be inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor at halftime of the 2026 opener against the New York Jets at Nissan Stadium. The ceremony honors one of the greatest players in Titans history, a former first-round pick out of East Carolina who became the sixth player in NFL history to eclipse the 2,000-yard rushing mark.

Johnson also set a then-NFL record with 2,509 yards from scrimmage during his legendary 2009 campaign. The timing of the announcement follows Johnson’s recent appearance on Good Morning America, where he revealed he has been privately battling ALS for the better part of a year.

It is a massive and well-deserved honor. It is also years overdue.

Chris Johnson is a Titans-era original, and that matters

Johnson is the first player drafted by the Titans in the Titans era to enter the Ring of Honor. He was not drafted by the Houston Oilers and carried over with the franchise’s relocation. He was selected by this organization after it arrived in Tennessee in 1998, played the vast majority of his career in Nashville, and accomplished the vast majority of his career milestones here. That distinction matters.

The franchise has spent considerable time honoring its Oilers roots, and rightfully so. But Johnson is one of the Titans’ own. Not from Nashville, but of Nashville. CJ2K sits on the Mount Rushmore of this franchise’s greatest players and among the greatest athletes this city has produced as a professional sports market. I think he and Derrick Henry have surpassed Eddie George in terms of pure accomplishments. George will always hold a place in that conversation because of his contributions to the Super Bowl run and helping the organization transition from Houston, but Johnson’s 2,000-yard season and record-setting scrimmage total are historic achievements that stand on their own.

It is worth noting that other Titans-era greats still remain outside the Ring of Honor. Javon Kearse and Keith Bullock are two names who immediately jump to mind. Their times should come at some point.

The timing is bittersweet

Controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk acknowledged the significance of the moment in her statement.

“Chris Johnson holds a special place in the hearts of our organization and our fans,” Strunk said. “His stats speak for themselves, and he will forever remain a leader in our record books. But the man behind the yardage deserves just as much celebration. We look forward to welcoming him home on September 13th and officially inducting him into the Titans Ring of Honor.”

Should this have happened years ago? Yes. There is no question. It is a shame that the induction comes on the heels of a devastating diagnosis rather than as a standalone celebration of what Johnson accomplished on the field. That said, the Titans are doing right by him now, and doing it at the opener — the last season at Nissan Stadium before the move to the new facility in 2027 — gives Johnson and his family the best possible chance to experience a full house and the love of the fanbase. We do not know what the rest of his health journey will look like, so the urgency of this moment is real.

This induction carries weight heading into a new era

The move to the new Nissan Stadium in 2027 means Tennessee will inevitably lose some of its identity in the transition. Carrying over the franchise’s history becomes essential, and that history cannot be told without Chris Johnson. His name will move into the rafters of the new building when the Ring of Honor transitions to the new facility.

Johnson will be one of 19 total inductees. Former coach Dave McGinnis will also be inducted posthumously, as announced by Strunk at his memorial service. For Titans fans who have been with this franchise since its arrival in Tennessee, Johnson’s induction is a point of pride. He represents everything the organization has built in this city — the highs and the memories that make the NFL’s presence in Nashville worth celebrating.

A little late? Sure, if you want to nitpick. But this is a cool thing for a person who deserves it, whether this diagnosis is attached to the moment or not. Johnson earned his place in that Ring of Honor on the field, and Titans fans will finally get to see him receive it on Sept. 13.