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.
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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."
