The Tennessee Titans led the tributes flooding in for former NFL star Chris Johnson following his heartbreaking diagnosis.
Johnson, a former running back for the Titans and the New York Jets, revealed on Good Morning America that he has been diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) at age 40.
ALS – which is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease – is a progressive neurological disease that slowly destroys motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord over time.
Johnson – who was one of the fastest running backs in NFL history – was only diagnosed last year at the age of 39, but has already lost the ability to speak.
After sharing the devastating news with the football world, the 2009 NFL Offensive Player of the Year received an influx of messages of support.
Amy Adams Strunk, the owner of the Titans, led the tributes with an emotional statement shared by the team’s social media channels.
Tributes flooded in for former NFL star Chris Johnson following his heartbreaking diagnosis
Johnson was diagnosed last year and now uses his eyes to trigger a voice machine to speak
‘Some people leave a mark on an organization that you just can’t put into words,’ she said. ‘Chris Johnson is one of those people for us. His leadership on the field, in addition to his impact in the locker room and Nashville community have written him permanently into the story of this franchise.
‘Learning this news is extremely difficult, and we will support Chris every step of the way throughout his journey.
‘We are holding him and his family close, and join our fans around the world in expressing our love for Chris.’
Johnson’s other former team, the Jets, also shared its support, posting: ‘Our entire Jets family is with you, @ChrisJohnson28. Sending strength and support as you face this challenge.’
A number of other teams, including the Arizona Cardinals, across the NFL sent their own messages with the Atlanta Falcons even claiming that Johnson has ‘the whole league supporting you.’
A host of NFL stars – both past and present – spoke out with Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes sharing, ‘Man… Praying for CJ2K.’
Former tight end Bo Scaife, former quarterback turned ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky and former running back Phillip Lindsay were also among those ‘praying’ for Johnson.
‘Watching this with tears in my eyes. Praying for Chris Johnson and thanking God for his wife Brittany, that’s true love on display,’ Emmanuel Acho added, responding to a snippet of GMA’s interview with Johnson.
The Tennessee Titans and Patrick Mahomes led the messages of support for Johnson
Oklahoma general manager Jim Nagy posted: ‘Struggling to process this morning’s news about @ChrisJohnson28. Connected a few years ago when we put him in Senior Bowl HOF. That’s when Chris shared his passion for scouting and wanting to mentor young players. He attended our Scout School the next year and from there we added him to game week scouting staff.
‘This video shows how genuine Chris was in giving back to the game he loved. Praying for you and your family, Chris!’
Nagy added a video of Johnson mentoring college football players ahead of a past Senior Bowl.
Elsewhere, other sporting stars shared their own tributes, including two-time NBA All-Star Isaiah Thomas.
Wrestling legend Ric Flair shared: ‘Chris Johnson, I Was Crying Watching Your Segment Today On Good Morning America! After My Best Friend Mongo Passed Away From ALS, I Know About The Struggles Of Living With ALS & The Toll It Takes. You Are A Fighter!! Sending You Strength & Healing Energy! Never Give Up!!’
After losing his ability to speak due to the rapid progression of the disease, Johnson used his eyes to trigger a voice machine as he sat alongside his wife for the ABC interview.
‘First, I want people to know that I’m still me,’ he began. ‘ALS has changed what my body can do but it hasn’t changed who I am.’
His rapid decline left fans in tears as they watched him explain his diagnosis and the subsequent effects on his body.
Johnson was one of the fastest running backs in NFL history, playing for the Titans and Jets
Johnson has four children. He admits life is not like it was a year ago as he lives with ALS
When asked why he had chosen now to share his story, Johnson revealed: ‘Because if sharing my story helps even one person get diagnosed sooner, inspires more research or gives another family hope, then it’s worth it.’
The ex-NFL star was in what he describes as the ‘prime of his life’ when he received the diagnosis and had been working out every day and spending time with his wife and four children.
‘I first noticed weakness in my right hand,’ he told Strahan. ‘At first it was little things like, my grip didn’t feel right. And I wasn’t as strong as I’d always been.’
His wife Brittany explained how she had initially thought it was a simpler, football-related injury like a pinched nerve, before their world began to unravel.
‘We hoped it was something else, but after thorough testing, they finally came down with a diagnosis of ALS,’ Johnson then explained. ‘They told us about a medication that might extend life by a few months, 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 [Cudkowicz] with Eric Dane, we reached out to her. She was willing to think more creatively and offer experimental treatments that might help and advance research.’
Johnson has no history of the disease in his family and doctors believe his condition to be a case of ‘sporadic ALS’, which is the most common form of the disease and occurs randomly.
‘It can happen to someone who never expected it,’ Johnson revealed. ‘I don’t know if you can ever fully process it.
The former running back shared his diagnosis in an emotional interview with GMA
His wife Brittany sat alongside him for the interview on Good Morning America
‘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.’
After his diagnosis, doctors recorded Johnson’s voice, so that even when he is using a machine to speak, it still sounds exactly like him.
Johnson only ended his professional career in 2017 after three seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, totaling 11,000 yards in his ten years in the league.
He is best known for his six seasons in Tennessee, during which he was voted to the Pro Bowl three times and won Offensive Player of the Year, before moving to the New York Jets.
