Former Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson reveals ALS diagnosis
Former Tennessee Titans and Arizona Cardinals running back Chris Johnson has revealed he was diagnosed with ALS in 2025 during a televised interview on Monday.
The 39-year-old shared the news using a speech-generating device based on recordings of his own voice.
He explained that doctors believe he has a sporadic case of the progressive neurodegenerative disease, as he has no family history of the condition.
‘I chose to fight’
“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 2009 NFL Offensive Player of the Year is currently participating in a clinical trial as part of his medical treatment.
His wife, Brittany, noted that they initially mistook his early symptoms of a weakened grip for a football-related nerve injury.
“It’s continued to progress much faster than I ever imagined,” the former player added.
A record-breaking NFL career
Nicknamed ‘CJ2K’, the American football star cemented his legacy in 2009 by rushing for 2,006 yards in a single campaign.
That remarkable season saw him break the NFL’s all-time record for yards from scrimmage with a staggering total of 2,509.
He spent a decade in professional football, starting with six consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons for the Titans before later spells with the New York Jets and Cardinals.
Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk pledged the franchise’s ongoing support, stating his on-field leadership and community impact have permanently written him into the team’s history.
Raising awareness for others
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) attacks nerve cells controlling voluntary muscle movement and currently has no known cure.
By making his diagnosis public, the former running back hopes to highlight the rapid speed at which the disease can impact the human body.
He recalled that just over a year ago he could lift his seven-year-old daughter to blow out her birthday candles, a physical feat he can no longer perform today.
“I want people to know that I’m still me. ALS has changed what my body can do, but it hasn’t changed who I am.”