Former Florida high school star running back Chris Johnson announced he has been diagnosed with ALS June 29 on “Good Morning America.”
The 39-year-old who rushed for over 2,000 yards and was named an All-Pro with the Tennessee Titans, was diagnosed with the disease in 2025.
“First, I want people to know that I’m still me,” he said. “ALS has changed what my body can do, but it hasn’t changed who I am.”
Johnson said that his mind is still sharp, his love for his family is strong, and he will not back down regardless of the impact on his body something that has already changed drastically. Just a year ago, he was able to pick up his 7-year-old daughter for her birthday to make a wish. But he said today, he can’t.
What is ALS?
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a nervous system disorder that mainly impacts motor neurons. The neurons degenerate and die, resulting in the disruption of signals to muscles which causes weakness, twitching and eventual atrophy. It’s a progressive disease and as it worsens, it can lead to severe disability and death. There is no cure, but there are treatments to improve quality of life and help manage symptoms.
Chris Johnson high school career
Born and raised in Orlando, Florida, Johnson attended Olympia High School where he played football and ran track and field. In football, he was only considered a 2-star recruit by Rivals.com, still receiving many offers to play at a college level. He chose East Carolina over UConn, USF and others. He was a star in track and field, helping lead his 400-meter relay team to win national championships along with winning second in the 100 meters in the 2004 Florida 4A State Championships, just behind eventual Olympic bronze medalist Walter Dix.
Chris Johnson college football career
Johnson quickly became a top player at ECU and Conference USA. His career totaled in 4,278 all-purpose yards and 42 touchdowns. His breakout year was senior year were his set records for East Carolina, First-team All-C-USA 2006, 2007, and C-USA Special Teams Player of the Year 2007.
Chris Johnson NFL career
Johnson is remembered as one of the most explosive running backs in NFL history. A first-round pick (24th overall) by the Titans in 2008, Johnson was nicknamed CJ2K for his speed and explosive runs. In 2009, he rushed over 2,000 yards breaking the NFL single season record for scrimmage yards with 2,509. That season, he was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year. His 10-season career ended with 9,651 rushing yards and 55 touchdowns. Before retiring in 2017, he played six seasons with the Titans, one with the Jets and three with the Cardinals.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Former NFL star Chris Johnson, Orlando HS great, diagnosed with ALS
Reporting by Samantha Guillotte, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Samantha Guillotte, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union | USA TODAY Network
