New York Jets Show Chris Johnson The Door

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Johnson_%28running_back%29#mediaviewer/File:Chris_Johnson_sitting_on_his_helmet.jpg
Image by AJ Guel via Flickr Bot

The New York Jets have closed the door on the era of Chris Johnson after?declining to exercise his $500,000 option. Even though the New York Jets had until Monday to make their decision, their mind had been made up for quite awhile.

But instead of lamenting at what could have been, let’s look at the journey Johnson took to New York and his failed chance to reconcile a once-promising career.

Chris Johnson,?a running back with good moves and 4.2 speed, emerged onto the scene from East Carolina University. In his second year in 2009, Johnson become one?of only seven running backs to hit 2,000 rushing yards in a season. Johnson carved his way to 2,006 rushing yards that season, and put himself in position to become one of the game’s best.

Now, nearly seven years later “CJ2K,” as fans used to call him, is being shown the door – and not the for first but for the second time in his career. Johnson, who turns 30 in September, has been struggling to find himself for the past two years, spending one of those seasons in Tennessee, the team that first?drafted him, and another with the New York Jets.

This last year marked the first time in his seven-year career that he failed to hit the 1,000-yard mark. And while some of that may be attributable?to his age, much of it is because of the Jets preference for big-back Chris Ivory. This led the already-faltering Johnson to fall deeper as his role started to diminish.

Johnson had come off of a surgically-repaired knee, which put him off to a very slow start in the last season, including failure?to rush for more than four runs of 20-plus yards. Johnson also recorded career lows in receptions with 24 and carries with 155.

And while the days of Chris Johnson may be over in New York, it certainly opens a new door for another star back to slip into the Jets backfield.

 

Tanner Bisbee hails from the great State of Maine. He's a full time college student and serves on the football staff at school. His most notable work to date is his book Modern Day Sports Blog. To read more check out my blog http://moderndaysportsandpolitics.blogspot.com/