Former NFL running back Chris Johnson has revealed his ongoing battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive neurodegenerative disease that has advanced rapidly, leaving him unable to speak.
Johnson shared his condition during an interview with Michael Strahan on ABC's Good Morning America on June 29, 2026.
He now communicates using an eye-controlled device programmed with his own recorded voice.
"First, I want people to know I'm still me," Johnson said. "ALS has changed what my body can do.
But it hasn't changed who I am."
The health issues began when Johnson noticed initial physical weakness, which his wife, Brittany, initially mistook for a pinched nerve from his football career.
Medical testing eventually confirmed the ALS diagnosis.
"At first it was little things, like my grip didn't feel right," Johnson said. "And I wasn't as strong as I've always been."
After the diagnosis, doctors provided a grim prognosis regarding standard treatment options, prompting the family to seek alternative medical guidance after watching a television broadcast featuring Dr. Merit Cudkowicz.
"They told us about a medication that might extend life by a few months," Johnson said. "Then they told us to get our affairs in order.
It was hard hearing that, but after watching Good Morning America and seeing Dr. Merit with Eric Dane, we reached out to her.
She was willing to think more creatively, offering experimental treatments that might help in advance research."
Johnson's condition is classified as "sporadic ALS," a category encompassing more than 90 percent of all diagnoses where individuals have no known family history of the disease.
The former athlete went public to raise awareness and accelerate diagnoses for others.
"If sharing my story helps even one person get diagnosed sooner, inspires more research, or gives another family hope, then it's worth it," Johnson said.
The physical decline progressed much faster than anticipated, preventing Johnson from performing routine physical tasks with his family.
"I want people to understand just how quickly ALS can attack your body," Johnson said.
"Just over a year ago, I was picking up my seven-year-old daughter, so she'd make a wish with her birthday cake.
Today, I couldn't do that."
Johnson emphasized that despite severe physical limitations, the cognitive faculties of ALS patients remain fully intact.
"Your mind stays sharp," Johnson 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."
During his 10-year professional football career from 2008 to 2017, Johnson rushed for 2,006 yards in his second season, accumulated nearly 12,000 yards from scrimmage, and was named the NFL's offensive player of the year.
He stated during a February 2025 appearance on PFT Live that reaching 2,500 total yards was his proudest achievement.
"Right now, there isn't a cure, but we're seeing more research, more clinical trials, and more promising ideas than ever before," Johnson said.
"Seeing how hard these doctors and researchers are working gives me hope."
Johnson concluded his public update by expressing his commitment to maintaining his personal battle alongside the medical community.
"As long as they're fighting for people with ALS, I'm going to keep fighting, too," Johnson said.
