Jets Running Back Chris Johnson Shot in Drive By, Fellow Passenger Dead; Career Impacted?

Rising to the position of NFL running back is a prestigious accomplishment that few athletes in this nation get the privilege of claiming. Chris Johnson of the New York Jets is one of those select few. However, in recent news, Johnson was shot in a drive by in Orlando, FL. It's sad that a person of such great raw talent has suffered such a draw back in his career. More sad. though, is the fact that one of the passengers in the car, and presumably one of Johnson's friends, "died from his wounds."

Before his time as a professional, Chris played college ball for East Carolina University. During his time there, he rushed for 2,960 all-purpose yards and 24 touchdowns. In turn, he was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the 2008 NFL Draft.

Since then, he has been traded to the New York Jets and was named the 2009 NFL Offensive Player of the Year. Also, he won a NFL rushing title for 2,006 yards. He is only the 7^th player to ever break 2000.

Now, though, it looks like he will be taking some time away from focusing on football. According to TMZ Sports, he was recently seriously injured in a drive by shooting:

"NFL running back Chris Johnson was shot in the shoulder during a drive-by in Orlando, FL early Sunday morning...and one of the people in his car was killed...a mystery shooter opened fire on a Jeep that Chris was in...The victims told police they were stopped at a red light when another car pulled up next to them and began shooting...Chris was hit in the shoulder...and another person in the car was also hit and died from his wounds. Cops say Chris is in stable condition."

It remains to be seen how long Chris will take to recover. Furthermore, it remains to be seen how this injury will impact Johnson's effectiveness on the field.

According to Jock Bio, it would be devestating to see someone with such great potential fall:

"Guys who rush for 2,000 yards in an NFL season don't normally sneak up on you. But did anyone really see Chris Johnson's amazing 2009 campaign coming? Certainly not any opponents of the Tennessee Titans. And if they did, they still couldn't stop him. Chris may not have the classic look or pedigree of a superstar running back, but he has all the qualifications: raw speed, confounding elusiveness and explosive power."

What are your opinions on the situation? Let us know in the comment section below.