Photo credit: Chris Johnson (Instagram)
Former NFL running back Chris Johnson has revealed he received an ALS diagnosis in 2025 at age 39. The former Tennessee Titans star made the announcement on Good Morning America in a pre-taped interview that aired June 29. Speaking through a computer-generated voice device controlled by his eyes, Johnson told host Michael Strahan that while the disease has changed what his body can do, it has not changed who he is at his core.
Johnson, widely known by his nickname CJ2K and celebrated as one of the fastest running backs in NFL history, first noticed something was wrong when he felt weakness in his right hand. At the time, he was living an active daily life, exercising regularly and raising four children with his wife Brittany.
The diagnosis came after multiple rounds of testing
The early symptoms were subtle enough that Brittany initially attributed them to the physical wear and tear of her husband’s NFL career. She assumed it might be a pinched nerve or something related to football. The possibility of ALS never crossed her mind.
After multiple rounds of testing, however, doctors delivered the news the couple had feared. They confirmed an ALS diagnosis and advised the family to begin getting their affairs in order. The news hit both Chris and Brittany with devastating force. Brittany immediately thought of their young children and found herself hoping the doctors were wrong.
According to his medical team, Chris has sporadic ALS, the most common form of the disease. Sporadic ALS accounts for roughly 90 percent of all cases and occurs in people with no known family history of the condition. It can strike without warning, making the diagnosis particularly difficult to process for families who have no prior connection to the disease.
The disease has progressed rapidly in just over a year
Since receiving his ALS diagnosis, Chris has experienced rapid progression of the disease. He now uses a speech-generating device controlled by his eye movements to communicate with others. Before he lost his ability to speak entirely, his medical team recorded his voice so the device could replicate it, preserving a connection to the way he once sounded.
The speed of the progression has been difficult for Chris to reconcile. He described picking up his seven-year-old daughter so she could blow out her birthday candles just over a year ago. Today, he told Strahan, he could no longer do that.
Dr. Merritt Cudkowicz, a neurologist at Mass General Brigham Neuroscience Institute, is working with Chris on his treatment. In addition to standard ALS medications, Chris participated in a clinical trial focused on reducing inflammation. His doctor expressed belief that the trial helped him meaningfully. Chris currently takes roughly three different medications each month designed to slow the progression of the illness.
His mind remains sharp despite his physical limitations
Throughout the interview, Chris emphasized that while ALS has dramatically altered his physical capabilities, it has not touched his mind. He continues to think clearly, dream and feel the same deep love for his family. He expressed frustration with the assumption that physical disability equates to cognitive change, pushing back against that perception directly.
His decision to go public with his diagnosis was deliberate and purposeful. Chris said that if sharing his story helps even one person receive an earlier diagnosis, encourages more research funding or gives another family hope, then speaking out is entirely worth it.
Family gives him a reason to keep fighting
Brittany has remained by her husband’s side throughout the entire journey. She acknowledged the weight of becoming his primary caregiver while also raising their four children, describing the experience as a profound shift from the life they previously knew. Despite the difficulty, she expressed unwavering commitment to the role and continued hope that a medical breakthrough will come.
Chris credited both Brittany and their children as the central source of his strength. He described waking up each day wanting more time with his kids and more memories to carry forward. Their presence gives him a clear reason to continue fighting even on the hardest days.
Ongoing research offers hope
While there is currently no cure for ALS, Chris pointed to the dedication of doctors and researchers as a source of genuine optimism. He expressed admiration for the work being done in clinical trials and research centers, and said their commitment to finding answers fuels his own determination to keep going.
The ALS Association estimates that approximately 32,000 Americans currently live with the disease at any given time, with roughly 5,000 new diagnoses occurring each year. Sporadic cases like Chris Johnson’s account for the overwhelming majority of those numbers.
Source: PEOPLE, Good Morning America
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