Former Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson, who became one of the most well-known players in the league during his prime and earned the famous "CJ2K" nickname, announced on Good Morning America that he has ALS. Johnson's disease has progressed to the point where he needed to use a speech generation device in his interview with Michael Strahan.
"Honestly, I don't know if you ever fully process it," Johnson said in an interview alongside his wife, Brittany. "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." Johnson said he has no prior history of ALS in his family.
Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk released a statement on social media supporting Johnson's fight in the aftermath of this news, highlighting his leadership in the Tennessee locker room and the impact he made in the Nashville community as a whole. She added that the Titans organization will "support Chris every step of the way throughout his journey."
Tennessee Titans great Chris Johnson diagnosed with ALS at 39
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, impacts nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. As motor neurons begin to die, functions like walking, chewing, and breathing gradually start to be impacted. These issues generally progress until death. Currently, there is no known cure for the disease.
Johnson is one of the greatest Titans of all time, even counting the Oilers days. Johnson, a former first-round pick running back out of East Carolina, burst on the scene with a then-record 4.24 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, and he only got better from there. Johnson played six of his 10 NFL seasons with Tennessee.
Johnson, who ranks fourth in Titans history in rushing yards and second in rushing yards per game (behind only Hall of Famer Earl Campbell), amassed just under 10,000 yards from scrimmage and 58 touchdowns with Tennessee. His second season is one of the greatest in NFL history, as he is one of only nine players ever to run for 2,000 yards in one campaign.
Johnson will continue to fight this with the same passion and drive he used to blow by NFL tacklers for a decade. Even after receiving life-altering news, Johnson can take assurance in the entire Titans fanbase coming together to support him after he gave them everything he could during his playing career.
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