Former NFL star Chris Johnson reveals ALS diagnosis at 39

Chris Johnson has ALS. The former Titans running back, one of the most electric players of his era, revealed the diagnosis Monday. He was 39 when doctors confirmed it last year. He's 40 now. His wife, Brittany, sat beside him for the interview with Michael Strahan.

Former NFL star Chris Johnson reveals devastating ALS diagnosis

It started with his hand. A weak grip, nothing that seemed worth worrying about. Then it didn't go away. "There's no history of ALS in my family," Johnson said. "That's one of the reasons this disease can be so shocking. It can happen to someone who never expected it." Doctors call his case sporadic ALS — no genetic link, which is true of most cases. There's no cure.

The decline has been fast. A year ago Johnson could still pick up his 7-year-old daughter for her birthday. He can't now. He speaks through a device controlled by his eyes, built from recordings of his own voice so it still sounds like him. "I want people to know that I'm still me," he said. "ALS has changed what my body can do, but it hasn't changed who I am."

Titans fans remember Johnson as CJ2K — the 2009 season when he rushed for 2,006 yards and looked unstoppable doing it. Three Pro Bowls. 9,651 career rushing yards. Stops in New York and Arizona before he retired in 2017.

He's not the first Titan to go through this. Tim Shaw, a linebacker who played alongside Johnson from 2010 to 2012, was diagnosed with ALS in 2014 and is still fighting it.

The football connection isn't just anecdotal. A 2021 Boston University study found pro players are about four times more likely to develop ALS than the general public. Nobody's pinned down exactly why.

The Titans' owner Amy Adams Strunk, the Cardinals, the Jets, and the NFLPA also sent letters of support. Johnson expressed hope that going public will assist others: "If sharing my story helps even one person get diagnosed sooner, inspires more research, or gives another family hope, it's worth it."

There is currently no cure for ALS.

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