Chris Johnson is confronting a hard reality this summer, and he’s doing it while speaking openly about the possible connection between his NFL career and the ALS diagnosis that changed his life.
The former Titans star, now 40, revealed on “Good Morning America” that he has ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Since then, he has taken a closer look at what that diagnosis means, including the way football comes up almost immediately in conversations with doctors.
In a lengthy piece, Johnson described how those medical visits have gone and how often the sport enters the discussion. “I’ve seen a lot of neurologists at this point and been to basically every major ALS clinic in the country, and in my experience, as soon as you say you played football it’s like, ‘Ahh, OK.’
Almost like an understanding, you know? I read one study, and from my understanding, it found that former NFL players were nearly four times as likely to develop and pass away from ALS compared with the U.S. male population overall,” Johnson wrote.
“That was a shock. And to be clear, your dad’s not an expert, and that’s just one study, and there might be other environmental factors at play.
Anybody can get ALS,” he continued.
That reference lines up with reports that former football players are nearly four times more likely to develop ALS than the rest of the U.S. male population, and four times more likely to die from it.
Johnson’s comments also arrive after his diagnosis drew attention this summer, including criticism of “Good Morning America” co-anchor Michael Strahan for not raising the football-ALS link during the interview. Jeff Pearlman of Sports Illustrated wrote at the time, “Chris Johnson is dying and he showed up on Good Morning America to tell his story, and Michael Strahan, one of the great cowards on TV in my opinion, sits there and pretends, oh, this is heartbreaking, it’s so sad, I can’t believe this is happening to you, and doesn’t have the courage and the decency and the wherewithal to mention the ties between football and ALS,”
Johnson played for three NFL teams, but his run with the Tennessee Titans from 2008 to 2013 was the one that defined his career. It was also the stretch when he put up his best football. Now the Titans are set to honor him in a different way: on their season opener against the New York Jets, Johnson will be inducted into the team’s ring of honor during halftime.
ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a rare and fatal nervous system disease. There is no known cure, though treatments can help improve quality of life.
In Other News...
Titans Lose A Key Defensive Piece Right Before Jets Opener
Cedric Grays Week 1 status changed in an instant, and not in the direction the Titans wanted. The linebacker entered concussion protocol after a UTV accident and has already been ruled out for Sundays opener against the Jets, leaving Tennessee to reshuffle a defense that was counting on him to be part of the early-season foundation.
Grays absence puts more pressure on the backups and rookies who now have to absorb snaps in a game where every early detail matters. The good news for Tennessee is that the rest of the roster is healthy, and the Jets are dealing with their own injury issues heading into the matchup, but Grays availability remains the storyline to watch beyond this one week. [Read more 🡒]
Brian Dabolls Plan For Cam Ward Is Becoming Very Clear
From the start of the offseason and into the preseason, the Titans have made their preference pretty obvious: keep the offense on schedule, avoid turnovers and make the easy throw the first answer. Brian Dabolls approach has leaned toward short completions and efficient runs, with the idea being to spare Cam Ward from too many third-and-long situations while giving the quarterback a steadier runway to grow.
That mindset has also shaped how the backfield and pass catchers are being used, with the offense showing a clear lean toward checkdowns and quick hitters rather than constant shots downfield. Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears fit neatly into that plan, and so does a slot target like Wan'Dale Robinson, but the bigger question is how far Daboll is willing to take the conservative approach once the games count and Wards development starts demanding more than just safe completions. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Fans Just Got A Painful Chris Johnson Ring Of Honor Reminder
The Titans were already planning a heartfelt tribute to Chris Johnson this season, but the timing around it has shifted. Tennessee has postponed the formal Ring of Honor induction ceremony for the former running back because his family is unable to travel to Nashville for the season opener, though the team still intends to recognize him at halftime.
Johnsons place in franchise history is secure, but the adjustment adds another layer of emotion to a celebration that was always going to carry extra weight. Diagnosed with ALS and having revealed his condition publicly earlier this year, Johnson remains a beloved figure in Titans history, and the team will still have a chance to honor him in front of the home crowd even if the full ceremony comes later. [Read more 🡒]