30 best NFL running backs of the 21st century
By Nick Villano
7. Chris Johnson, 2008-2017
Tennessee Titans, New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals
CJ2K was a lot of talk but even more action. His speed is still legendary. This is a man who could possibly run in the Olympics, but he chose football. He ran a ridiculous 4.24-second 40-yard dash. At the time, it was an NFL Combine record. It got people talking, and the Titans picked Chris Johnson with their first-round pick.
Johnson was immediately great, rushing for 1,228 yards in his rookie season. He finished second in Rookie of the Year voting and seventh in MVP voting. In his second season, he earned his moniker CJ2K. Johnson rushed for just over 2,000 yards. However, that’s not even what’s most impressive. The really insane part of this is he added another 500 yards receiving. Who has the time? His 2,509 yards from scrimmage still stands as a single-season NFL record.
Some act like Johnson fell off after this. He had four more 1,000-yard seasons in a row after the 2,000-yard season. He always had that game-breaking ability. His pure speed was unstoppable. If he hit the open field, no defensive player could catch up once he was past them. That’s why he has multiple 90+-yard runs.
Johnson finished his career as a backup with the New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals. It was an interesting end to a career that was great, but the reality is that Johnson was all about his speed. He could not afford to lose a step. Even when he did, he was still faster than most, but it was clear he was a different guy. Still, he was so great during that peak. Maybe greater than just about anyone.