Chris Johnson (born September 23, 1985) was a dynamic NFL running back who first made waves at East Carolina University, where his senior-year explosion of 2,960 all-purpose yards and 24 touchdowns led to his selection by the Tennessee Titans in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft—after he stunned scouts with a then-record 4.24-second 40-yard dash at the Combine. He earned Pro Bowl honors in each of his first three seasons, but his crowning achievement came in 2009, when he rushed for 2,006 yards (becoming just the sixth player ever to hit that milestone) and broke Marshall Faulk's single-season record with 2,509 yards from scrimmage, earning the nickname "CJ2K" and the Offensive Player of the Year Award. Johnson surpassed 1,000 rushing yards in all six of his seasons with the Titans before brief stints with the New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals, where an injury-shortened resurgence in 2015 showed his remaining brilliance. He retired after the 2017 season, signing a one-day contract with the Titans to officially end his career, and later graduated from East Carolina in 2020 and was inducted into the Senior Bowl Hall of Fame in 2023. Off the gridiron, his elite speed was honed as a high school track star, with personal bests of 10.38 seconds in the 100 meters and 21.28 seconds in the 200 meters—athleticism that defined his explosive, game-breaking playing style.