The Tennessee Titans postponed Chris Johnson’s induction into their Ring of Honor because he and his family are no longer able to attend Sunday’s season opener in person.
Johnson, who starred for the team from 2008-13, revealed in June that he has ALS, the progressive neurodegenerative disorder also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
“Due to unforeseen circumstances, Chris Johnson and his family are no longer able to travel to Nashville for this Sunday’s game,” the Titans said in a statement. “Knowing how much he and his family desire to be in person at Nissan Stadium for his induction into the Titans Ring of Honor, we will postpone the official induction ceremony and look forward to celebrating the moment with them at a future date.”
The statement went on to say that Tennessee would still hold a halftime ceremony Sunday dedicated to Johnson’s career and legacy.
Johnson, who turns 41 this month, was set to become the 20th inductee into Tennessee’s Ring of Honor. The late Dave McGinnis, a former assistant coach and radio analyst, will be added later in the season.
The Titans had planned to honor Johnson at the game against the New York Jets, for whom he played one season in 2014.
During his six-season, 95-game tenure in Tennessee, Johnson rushed for 7,965 yards and scored 58 total touchdowns.
He was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year and a first-team All-Pro in 2009, when he ran for 2,006 yards and set an NFL single-season record with his 2,509 yards from scrimmage. That record continues to stand despite the NFL expanding its schedule to 17 games.
