Chris Johnson, one of nine players in history to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season who made the Pro Bowl in each of his first three years with the Tennessee Titans, revealed in a television interview aired Monday that he has ALS.
Johnson, 40, spent 10 seasons in the league and last played in 2017 for the Arizona Cardinals. He said on ABC’s 鈥� 鈥� that he was diagnosed with the fatal nervous system disease last year.
鈥淗onestly, I don鈥檛 know if you really fully process it,鈥� he said, using his eyes to communicate through a computerized speech-generating device during the interview with Michael Strahan. 鈥淎t first you鈥檙e in shock. Then you realize you have two choices: You can give up or you can fight. I chose to fight.鈥�
Johnson, a first-round draft pick out of East Carolina in 2008, rushed for 7,965 yards over six seasons with the Titans. The native of Orlando, Florida, had 2,006 yards in 2009 to earn the nickname 鈥淐J2K鈥� and ingratiate himself with the Tennessee fan base.
Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk, in a released Monday, said the organization is holding Johnson, his wife and four children close.
鈥淪ome people leave a mark on an organization that you just can鈥檛 put into words. Chris Johnson is one of those people for us. His leadership on the field, in addition to his impact in the locker room and Nashville community have written him permanently into the story of this franchise,” Adams Strunk said. 鈥淟earning this news is extremely difficult, and we will support Chris every step of the way throughout his journey.”
ALS, which is an acronym for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and is commonly known as Lou Gehrig鈥檚 disease, is a neurodegenerative condition that affects nerve cell communication with muscles throughout the body. The disease leads to muscle weakness and can cause deterioration of the ability to move, speak and breathe.
Tim Shaw, who had a six-year career as a linebacker in the NFL and was a teammate of Johnson’s with the Titans from 2010-12, was diagnosed in 2014 with ALS and is still alive.
Johnson, who also played one season for the New York Jets, first noticed weakness in his right hand and trouble with his grip. He was still working out daily a year ago. Now he can’t hold a cup or speak on his own.
鈥淵our mind stays sharp. People sometimes look at a person with a physical disability and assume you鈥檙e not still the same person inside,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淚 still think the same. I still dream. I still love my family. My body just doesn鈥檛 cooperate.鈥�
Johnson was joined for the interview by his wife, Brittany, who has become his primary caregiver.
鈥淪he hasn鈥檛 left my side through any of this. My kids are also a huge part of why I keep going,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淓very day I wake up wanting more time with them to make more memories and just be their dad. They give me a reason to keep fighting.鈥�
Johnson has been participating in experimental treatments with the goal of extending his life and helping the medical field move closer to a cure for the disease.
鈥淚f it helps even one person get diagnosed sooner, inspires more research or gives another family hope,鈥� he said, 鈥渢hen it’s worth it.鈥�
Johnson didn鈥檛 discuss his playing career in the interview. In a later post on his he acknowledged the unknown about how he developed the disease but referenced research that has linked repetitive head trauma to ALS. That includes a that found NFL players were nearly four times more likely to develop the disease than the general male population.
鈥淚 hope the NFL steps up, invests in research, and continues working to protect players 鈥� both now and for generations to come,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淭ogether, we can push toward better treatments and, one day, a cure.鈥�
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