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The ceremony is planned for halftime of the Titans' 2026 season opener on Sept. 13. The Titans will host the New York Jets, for whom Johnson played one season.

The Titans selected Johnson with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. During his six-season, 95-game tenure in Nashville, Johnson gained 7,965 rushing yards and scored 58 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.

"Chris Johnson holds a special place in the hearts of our organization and our fans," Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk said in a statement. "His stats speak for themselves, and he will forever remain a leader in our record books, but the man behind the yardage deserves just as much celebration. We look forward to welcoming him home on Sept. 13 and officially inducting him into the Titans Ring of Honor."

He rushed for 9,651 yards and 55 touchdowns in 130 career games with the Titans (2008-13), Jets (2014) and Arizona Cardinals (2015-17). He rushed for at least 1,000 yards in each of his six seasons in a Titans uniform.

In an interview aired June 29 on "Good Morning America," Johnson told co-anchor Michael Strahan that he was diagnosed with ALS, a progressive neurodegenerative disorder also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, in 2025. There is currently no cure.

"There's no history of ALS in my family," said Johnson, who was using a speech-generating device based on recordings of his voice to speak. "My doctors believe my case is what's called sporadic ALS, which is actually how the vast majority of ALS cases happen.

"... That's one of the reasons this disease can be so shocking. It can happen to someone who never expected it."

Johnson, 40, will become the 20th inductee into Tennessee's Ring of Honor, with the late Dave McGinnis, a former assistant coach and radio analyst, to be added later in the season.

The group includes players from the Titans' history as the Houston Oilers. Among those already in the Ring of Honor are quarterbacks George Blanda, Warren Moon and Steve McNair, as well as running backs Earl Campbell and Eddie George.

The first matchup will take place Nov. 17, 2026, with the Spartans visiting Food City Center. Tennessee will make a return trip to East Lansing, Mich., for a matchup at the Breslin Center during the 2027-28 season, with the exact date to be determined.

The Volunteers and Spartans have met seven times in a series that began in 1939. Tennessee owns a 2-5 record in those contests, including a 1-2 mark at home, a 0-2 ledger on the road and a 1-1 tally at neutral sites.

Most recently, the sides met in a charity exhibition contest in advance of the 2023-24 campaign, which does not count towards the series record. In an Oct. 29, 2023, top-10 showdown at the Breslin Center, No. 9/10 Tennessee beat fourth-ranked Michigan State, 89-88, behind 28 points from Dalton Knecht and 20 from Jordan Gainey, who hit the game-sealing free throw. The Volunteers never trailed and led by as many as 18 points.

The last official meeting came in the 2010 Elite Eight, the first NCAA Regional Final appearance in Tennessee history. The Spartans earned a 70-69 triumph on March 28, 2010, in a top-15 clash at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis.

Prior to that, the teams faced off on Dec. 20, 1994, in East Lansing in the most recent regular season game, with No. 17 Michigan State claiming a 79-68 victory on its home court.

The last contest in Knoxville came one year prior, with the Spartans winning, 69-60, on Dec. 21, 1993. Tennessee took the two series meetings before that, with its most recent victory an 85-61 result in the Volunteer Classic on Dec. 18, 1971, in Knoxville.

Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes (30) and Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo (28) rank first and second, respectively, among active head coach in all-time Division I NCAA Tournament appearances. Barnes is co-third all-time, while Izzo sits co-fifth.

Over the last nine seasons (2017-26), Tennessee and Michigan State are two of the only 13 programs in Division I with 220-plus victories. The Volunteers rank eighth with 226 wins, while the Spartans are tied for No. 12 with 220. Furthermore, Michigan State has the longest active NCAA Tournament streak in the country at 28 in a row, while Tennessee ranks co-fourth with eight straight bids.

As previously released, Tennessee will also play a home-and-home series with Purdue over the next two seasons. Additionally, the Volunteers will meet Illinois in a neutral-site game in Chicago in 2027-28, as well as compete in the Players Era Men’s Championship in both 2026-27 and 2027-28.

To keep up with the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. (WOKI / WVLT) — As families prepare for the start of a new school year, the Salvation Army is working to help students in Sevier and Cocke counties head back to class with the supplies they need.

The Salvation Army serving Sevier and Cocke Counties is hosting its annual “Stuff the Bus” school supply drive today, July 17, at the Sevierville Parkway Walmart, located at 1414 Parkway.

Community members can donate supplies from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. at the store.

The effort comes as back-to-school expenses continue to rise. According to the National Retail Federation, families with students in kindergarten through 12th grade are expected to spend an average of $863.86 this year on school-related purchases. Electronics account for the largest portion of those expenses, followed by clothing, shoes, accessories and school supplies.

Salvation Army officials say many families are struggling to keep up with those costs.

“As the cost of living continues to rise, many parents are finding it harder than ever to afford the basic supplies their children need for school,” said Sevierville Corps Captain Justin Vincent. “Thanks to the generosity of Walmart shoppers, we can ensure that every child has the opportunity to start the school year ready to learn.”

Organizers are seeking a variety of commonly used classroom items, including:

• Backpacks
• Notebooks and folders
• Pencils and pens
• Crayons and colored pencils
• Markers
• Glue sticks
• Loose-leaf paper
• Highlighters
• Pencil boxes
• Scissors

Officials emphasize that all donations collected through the drive will remain in the local community and will be distributed to students in Sevier and Cocke counties.

The Salvation Army says even small donations can make a significant difference for families facing rising household expenses as the school year approaches.

With most East Tennessee schools set to begin classes within the next month, organizers hope the community will come together to help ensure local students start the year equipped for success.

NASHVILLE, Tenn.  (WOKI) — Early voting is officially underway across Tennessee for the August 6 State Primary and County General Election.

Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett is encouraging registered voters to take advantage of the early voting period, which begins Friday, July 17, and continues through Saturday, August 1.

“Early voting makes it easy for registered Tennesseans to participate in the electoral process,” Hargett said. “With early voting beginning today, now is the time to make a plan to vote. I encourage every eligible voter to take advantage of this convenient opportunity and participate in shaping the future of their communities, state, and nation.”

State election officials are reminding voters that a variety of election resources are available through the free GoVoteTN mobile app and online at GoVoteTN.gov. Voters can use those tools to find early voting locations, view polling hours, review sample ballots, verify voter registration status, and access other election information.

The August 6 election includes the Tennessee State Primary and County General Election contests in participating counties across the state.

Officials are also reminding voters about Tennessee’s identification requirements. Anyone voting in person during early voting or on Election Day must present a valid photo ID issued by the federal government or the State of Tennessee. Expired government-issued photo IDs are also accepted under state law.

However, college student IDs, identification cards issued by other states, local government IDs, and non-U.S. citizen identification cards are not accepted for voting purposes.

Election officials encourage voters who have questions about identification requirements or eligibility exemptions to visit GoVoteTN.gov, where information is available on obtaining a free photo ID and understanding Tennessee’s voting rules.

Early voting concludes on August 1, with Election Day scheduled for August 6.

For local information from the Knox County Election Commission, please go to: https://www.knoxcounty.org/election/

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