Three-time Pro Bowl quarterback Chris Johnson revealed Monday that he has been diagnosed with ALS.
Johnson told Michael Strahan on “Good Morning America” that he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in 2025. The disease has spread so rapidly that he now uses a speech-generating machine powered by his eyes to speak.
“First of all, I want people to know that I’m still me,” Johnson said. “ALS has changed what my body can do, but it hasn’t changed who I am.”
The rapid decline, all of which occurred within a year, physically drained the former star running back, but it hasn’t weakened his determination to keep fighting.
“Honestly, I don’t know if you ever fully work it out,” he said of the diagnosis. “At first you’re in shock. Then you realize you have two choices. You can give up, or you can fight. I chose to fight.”
The 40-year-old said the symptoms first started with a weak grip. Soon after receiving the diagnosis, his voice was recorded, so that the speech-generating device mirrors his.
“It has continued to progress much faster than I ever imagined. I want people to understand how quickly ALS can attack your body,” he said. “A little over a year ago I was picking up my 7-year-old daughter so she wanted her birthday cake. Today I couldn’t.”
ALS, often called Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects neurons in the brain and spinal cord. Degeneration of motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to death.
“There is no history of ALS in my family,” Johnson told Strahan. “My doctors think 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.”
A first-round pick of the Tennessee Titans in 2008, the East Carolina product boasted rare speed and routinely ran away from defenders. His impressive ability led him to a 2,006-yard season in just his second campaign, earning him the nickname CJ2K. He spent six seasons with the Titans, one with the New York Jets and three with the Arizona Cardinals, retiring after the 2017 campaign. He rushed for 9,651 yards and 55 touchdowns in 10 seasons and recorded six consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns to open his career.
“Some people leave a mark on an organization that you just can’t put into words,” Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk said in a statement released Monday. “Chris Johnson is one of those people for us. His leadership on the field, as well as his impact in the locker room and in the Nashville community, have written him permanently into the history of this franchise. Learning this news is extremely difficult, and we will support Chris every step of the way through his journey. We keep him and his family close, and join our fans around the world in expressing our love for Chris.”
Johnson’s former Titans teammate Tim Shaw, who played at Tennessee from 2010-2012, was diagnosed with ALS in 2014. Shaw has battled the disease for years and his mobility has deteriorated.
Johnson said his wife and their four children are a driving force in his desire to continue fighting the disease.
“She hasn’t left me through any of this,” he said of Brittany Johnson. “My kids are also a big part of why I keep going. Every day I wake up and want more time with them to make more memories and just be their dad. They give me a reason to keep fighting.”