There is likely to be an emotional moment in the stadium when former Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson is inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor this fall.
On Friday, the Titans announced that Johnson, who retired in 2019, would become the 20th member of the Ring of Honor.
Some fans, however, believe the honor should have been bestowed sooner.
“Only took him being diagnosed with ALS to get him in (shaking my head) shoulda been done years ago,” one fan said.
Other fans, though, offered the Titans some leeway amid the criticism of the timing for putting Johnson into the Ring of Honor.
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“Anyone saying this is ‘only because he was diagnosed with ALS’ needs to st—u,’” another fan said. “His accolades ensured he was going in the ring eventually.”
“Yes, it probably should’ve already been done. Yes, it was probably expedited because of his diagnosis. Better now than after he’s gone,” the X user added.
Johnson made national headlines last month when he and his wife, Brittany, announced in an interview on “Good Morning America” that he had been diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) in 2025.
The disease, which currently has no cure, has taken away some of his motor functions. He now relies on a computer, which has a built-in voice, that tracks his eye movement to communicate.
The average life expectancy for someone diagnosed with ALS is three to five years, though an estimated 30 percent live five years or more, and 10 percent to 20 percent live at least 10 years, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
“Honestly, I don’t know if you ever fully process it,” Johnson said about his ALS diagnosis. “At first, you’re in shock. Then, you realize you have two choices. You can give up, or you can fight. I chose to fight.”
The ceremony to induct Johnson into the Titans Ring of Honor is planned for Nissan Stadium in Nashville. On that day, the Titans will host the New York Jets as the opening game of the 2026 NFL season.
Johnson, who turns 41 this September, played in 130 games across ten NFL seasons. He rushed for 2,006 yards with the Titans in 2009, setting a single-season NFL record with 2,509 yards from scrimmage.
“Chris Johnson holds a special place in the hearts of our organization and our fans,” Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk said in a statement. “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 Sept. 13 and officially inducting him into the Titans Ring of Honor.”
