Former NFL running back Chris Johnson has shared some devastating health news that has left fans and followers heartbroken.
In an emotional appearance on Good Morning America, the former Tennessee Titans star, now 40, revealed he has been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with no known cure. “I want people to know that I’m still me,” Chris told Michael Strahan during a pre-taped interview aired on June 29. “ALS has changed what my body can do, but it hasn’t changed who I am.”
Chris, famously known as “CJ2K” for his remarkable speed on the field, first noticed troubling symptoms in 2025 at the age of 39, when he experienced weakness in his right hand. At that time, he was in peak physical condition, actively exercising and cherishing moments with his four children alongside wife Brittany. “At first it was little things like my grip didn’t feel right, and I wasn’t as strong as I’d always been,” he recalled.
Brittany initially believed the symptoms were a result of the physical toll taken by Chris’s NFL career. “I thought because of football and his career that it has to be something with that,” she reflected. “Maybe a pinched nerve or something along those lines, but never ALS.”
After undergoing multiple rounds of testing, Chris and his family were faced with the heartbreaking diagnosis they had dreaded. “We hoped it was something else, but after the third testing, they finally came down with a diagnosis of ALS,” he explained. “They told us about a medication that might extend life by a few months. Then they told us to get our affairs in order.” “It was hard hearing that,” he added.
ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, leads to the death of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, resulting in a loss of muscle control that ultimately affects the ability to move, speak, swallow, and even breathe.