Former NFL star Chris Johnson has revealed that he is living with ALS, saying the disease has progressed much faster than he ever expected.
The former Tennessee Titans running back said he was diagnosed in 2025, when he was 39. Now 40, Johnson says the condition has advanced so quickly that he uses a speech-generating device controlled by his eyes to communicate.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that damages nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Over time, it can affect movement, speech, swallowing, breathing and other everyday functions.
Johnson said the earliest warning sign was a subtle loss of strength in his right hand and grip. At first, he and his family assumed it could be related to football or another more common issue.
Speaking with Good Morning America, his wife Brittany said: “I thought because of football and, you know, his career, that it had to be something with that.
“Maybe… a pinched nerve or something along those lines, but never ALS.”
Johnson also spoke about adjusting to the diagnosis as a father of four.
“Honestly, I don’t know if you ever fully process it.
“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.”
He said the speed of the illness has been especially difficult to absorb.
“It’s continued to progress much faster than I ever imagined. I want people to understand just how quickly ALS can attack your body.
“Just over a year ago, I was picking up my 7-year-old daughter so she’d make a wish with her birthday cake. Today, I couldn’t do that.”
Even as the disease continues to affect his body, Johnson said he wants people to understand that he is still the same person.
“ALS has changed what my body can do, but it hasn’t changed who I am,” he said.
“People sometimes look at the physical disability and assume you’re not still the same person inside. I still think the same. I still dream. I still love my family. My body just doesn’t cooperate.”
According to the Mayo Clinic, early signs of ALS can include hand weakness or clumsiness, difficulty walking or carrying out normal daily tasks, weakness in the legs, slurred speech, trouble swallowing, muscle cramps or twitching, and changes in thinking or behavior.
ALS is often difficult to diagnose in its early stages because symptoms can resemble other conditions, and there is no single test that confirms it. Doctors typically rely on a physical exam, symptom history and tests that help rule out other possible causes.
Specialists also note that symptoms can differ from one person to another, but they usually become more severe as the disease progresses. While there is no cure, treatments, therapy and assistive communication devices can help people living with ALS preserve independence and quality of life for as long as possible.