Former Titans running back Chris Johnson spent six years with the Titans where he dazzled fans and lit up the field with his scorching speed. No one will ever forget his 2009 season where he rushed for 2,006 yards earned his CJ2K nickname after becoming one of the only players in league history to cross that threshold.
But now, the former Tennessee standout is facing a new and even more difficult path than even the rigors of the NFL could give him.
On Monday morning, Johnson made an appearance on ABC’s
Good Morning America where he told co-anchor (and former NFL star, himself) Michael Strahan that he was diagnosed with ALS in 2025.
“There’s no history of ALS in my family,” said Johnson, who was aided by a speech-generating device during the interview. “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.”
After spending six seasons with the Titans and rushing for 7,965 yards and 50 touchdowns, Johnson spent the final four seasons of his career with the Jets (2014) and the Cardinals (2015-2017). He ended his NFL tenure with 9,651 yards and 55 touchdowns to go with 2,255 receiving yards and nine more scores.
Following the airing of the interview, encouragement and love poured out over social media. Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk released a statement on Johnson’s impact within the franchise during and after his time with the team, followed by messages from the Cardinals, Jets, and NFL Player’s Association.
ALS is a progressive disease that attacks nerve cells that controls the muscles throughout the body. After baseball player Lou Gehrig was diagnosed with the disease in 1939, ALS has since also been known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. As of 2026, there is no known cure.
“Honestly, I don’t know if you ever fully process it,” he said of the diagnosis. “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.”
