Chris Johnson is a running back for the NFL's Tennessee Titans. He was drafted late in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft, and spent his first season splitting time with starter Lendale White. In 2009, the overwhelming bulk of the Titans carries went to Johnson, and he established himself as one of, if not the, very best runners in the NFL, winning the 2009 Offensive Player of the Year award.

Johnson is known for his breakaway speed (he was a track start in high school) and his skill in the open field, whether through running or catching the ball out of the backfield. He came to the NFL relatively unheralded from East Carolina, decidedly not a football power. In addition, he was not hugely productive until his senior year. http://nfldraft.rivals.com/cviewplayer.asp?Player=42855 While scounts loved his speed, many teams questioned his size and his ability to stand up to the pounding of the NFL (he's a relatively slender 5-foot-11, 200 pounds). http://www.nfl.com/players/chrisjohnson/gamelogs?id=JOH127799 However, Johnson has done nothing in the NFL other than prove the critics wrong.

Chris Johnson's sophomore campaign was one of the very best in the history of NFL running backs. He ended up with 2,006 yards, becoming one of only six runners to break the 2,000-yard barrier in a season, and the first ever to have 2,000 on the ground and 500 yards receiving. He also scored 14 touchdowns on the ground, plus two more in the air. He led the NFL with 22 runs of 20 yards or more, and had three runs of 85 yards or more, something no other runner had ever done in his entire career, much less in a single season.

Much as the season was a success on a personal level, the Titans, preseason hopefuls for the Super Bowl, disappointed in 2009, falling out of the gate to an 0-6 start. After replacing starting quarterback Kerry Collins with the more dynamic Vince Young, the Titans righted the ship to an extent, but the hole was too deep for a playoff run. After closing the season 8-2, the Titans finished the season 8-8.