Former NFL Star Chris Johnson Reveals ALS Diagnosis

Former NFL star Chris Johnson has revealed he is battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the progressive neurodegenerative disease with no cure.

The former Tennessee Titans running back, 40, shared his diagnosis during an interview with Good Morning America, saying he was diagnosed in 2025 after first noticing weakness in his right hand.

“I want people to know that I’m still me,” Johnson told Michael Strahan. “ALS has changed what my body can do, but it hasn’t changed who I am.”

Johnson, nicknamed “CJ2K” for his blazing speed, initially dismissed the symptoms as lingering effects from his football career. His wife, Brittany, also believed it might be a pinched nerve before multiple rounds of testing confirmed ALS.

“We hoped it was something else,” Johnson said. “After the third testing, they finally came down with a diagnosis of ALS. They told us to get our affairs in order.”

Doctors said Johnson has sporadic ALS, the most common form of the disease, which occurs without a family history. He has been treated with standard ALS medications and also participated in a clinical trial aimed at reducing inflammation.

The disease has progressed rapidly over the past year, leaving Johnson unable to speak. He now communicates using a speech-generating device controlled by his eyes that uses a digital version of his own recorded voice.

“It’s continued to progress much faster than I ever imagined,” he said. “Just over a year ago I was picking up my 7-year-old daughter. Today, I couldn’t do that.”

Johnson said his wife and their four children have given him the strength to keep fighting.

“My kids are a huge part of why I keep going,” he said. “Every day I wake up wanting more time with them, to make more memories and just be their dad.”