What happened to 3× Pro Bowl RB Chris Johnson? One of the most underrated careers in NFL history explored
Any player who ranks in the all-time top 10 of a statistical category tends to stand tall in NFL history. However, that's not the case for three-time Pro Bowler Chris Johnson. The running back had a prestigious career in the top tier of pro football from 2008 to 2017.
His run in the upper echelons of pro football, though, has been largely overlooked. Chris Johnson is seventh all-time in single-season rushing yards, owing to his spectacular sophomore campaign of 2009.
Johnson came up in the ranks of East Carolina coach Skip Holtz's offense. However, the running back's stint in college football was largely underwhelming, not recording more than 700 rushing yards in three straight seasons. It was only in his senior campaign that he disrupted the NCAA landscape.
As the fastest man in college football, having recorded a 4.30 40-yard dash, the speedster ran wildfire on his Conference USA opponents. He bagged NFL-worthy numbers of 1,423 yards and 17 touchdowns rushing and 528 yards and six touchdowns receiving in 2007.
In a 2008 draft class featuring speedsters DeSean Jackson and Jamaal Charles, Chris Johnson was one of the most electric NFL prospects.
Chris Johnson takes the NFL by storm
With his 4.30 40 the fastest in his class, Chris Johnson ultimately entered the NFL when the Tennessee Titans took him at No. 24 in 2008. They were coming off a stellar 10-6 2007 season and looked to reinforce their backfield that starred 1,000-yard rusher LenDale White.
With a superstar backfield, Tennessee kicked the door down on their opponents in '08, finishing 13-3. While Johnson had to split the backfield with White, he made the most of his chances, booking 1,228 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground in his rookie season. However, this would prove to be only the beginning.
While Chris Johnson saw his lone career playoff appearance in that 2008 season, that didn't hinder his ensuing regular season performances. The blazing-fast youngster went on a tear to become one of the league's most feared running backs.
All of his career Pro Bowl appearances came in his first three seasons. At just age 24, he had already written his name in NFL history when he ran for 2,006 yards in a single season to place fifth all-time.
Despite not seeing much team success throughout his NFL career, Chris Johnson never booked sub-1,000 rushing yards across his first six consecutive seasons. In those six seasons with the Titans, he rushed for 7,965 yards with 50 touchdowns.
Going by the trajectory of his first six campaigns, he was bound to put up in the range of 15,000 career rushing yards in the end, which would have seen him contend with the likes of Barry Sanders. However, a steep decline awaited Johnson the first time he changed teams.
The unreal fall of Chris Johnson
On the back of six straight 1,000-yard rushing campaigns, the running back was signed by the New York Jets in 2014 with hopes of continuing his run. But a tragedy awaited on the horizon.
After an underwhelming single-season stint of 663 yards on the ground in New York, the once-great running back was sent packing. He subsequently found himself in Arizona for three years, largely playing backup to the likes of David Johnson, Adrian Peterson and Kerwyn Williams under coach Bruce Arians.
While Chris Johnson's career is likely overlooked due to his severe lack of playoff success, the running back still formed a significant part of the league in the early 2010s. Still ranking in the all-time top 10 of single-season rushing performances, the speedster's highlight reels continue to be a joy to watch to this day.