Former NFL Star Chris Johnson Reveals Life-Changing ALS Diagnosis at 39

Chris Johnson was in the prime of his life, working out daily and chasing after his kids, when his body started sending signals he couldn’t ignore. Now, the former NFL star has revealed he is living with ALS.

Johnson revealed his diagnosis —which he received last year at age 39 — during an appearance on ABC’s Good Morning America on Monday, June 29, recalling how the first warning sign was a weakness in his right hand.

“There’s no history of ALS in my family,” Johnson, now 40, said. “My doctors believe my case is what’s called sporadic ALS, which is actually how the vast majority of ALS cases happen. That’s one of the reasons this disease can be so shocking. It can happen to someone who never expected it.”

That early loss of grip strength, he said, was only the beginning before the illness picked up speed.

“It’s continued to progress much faster than I ever imagined. I want people to understand just how quickly ALS can attack your body,” Johnson told GMA. “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.”

For his GMA appearance, Johnson spoke using an eye-controlled speech device, a stark sign of how much ALS has taken from him in such a short time, as per the official Tennessee Titans website.

Johnson was one of the game’s true game-breakers at his peak. After the Tennessee Titans drafted him in 2008, he tore through the 2009 season for over 2,000 rushing yards, taking home Offensive Player of the Year honors and the first of three consecutive Pro Bowl trips, as per the website.

He closed out his career with the New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals, retiring after 2017, per an ESPN report.

ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) is a progressive neurological disease that affects the nerve cells that control voluntary muscle movement, according to the Mayo Clinic. As it advances, those affected slowly lose the ability to walk, speak, eat, swallow and breathe.

Even so, Johnson said his family has been his foundation, pointing to his wife, Brittany, in particular, for giving him “a reason to keep going.”

Johnson’s diagnosis comes during a year that has brought renewed attention to ALS. Grey’s Anatomy and Euphoria star Eric Dane died in February at 53 after his own battle with the disease.

In the same interview, Johnson revealed how Dane’s willingness to share his experience inspired him to take the next step. After seeing the actor discuss ALS on Good Morning America in July 2025, he contacted Dane’s neurologist, Dr. Merit Cudkowicz.