NFL Star Chris Johnson Fights ALS, Joins Clinical Trial

Just over a year ago, former NFL Pro Bowl running back Chris Johnson could lift his seven-year-old daughter to blow out birthday candles. Today, the 39-year-old uses a speech-generating device to talk, but he's still fighting with everything he has.

Johnson revealed his ALS diagnosis on Good Morning America, sharing that doctors initially gave him just months and told him to "get our affairs in order." The disease struck without warning while he was working out daily and enjoying life with his wife Brittany and their four kids.

His first symptom seemed minor. "I noticed weakness in my right hand," Johnson said through his device, which uses his recorded voice. "At first, it was little things like my grip didn't feel right."

Brittany thought it was an old football injury. After all, Chris ran over 11,000 yards during his NFL career before retiring in 2017. But the weakness kept spreading, and the shocking diagnosis came: sporadic ALS, the form that strikes people with no family history.

Johnson could have given up. Instead, he watched an ABC News interview featuring ALS researcher Dr. Merit Cudkowicz and reached out immediately. That decision changed everything.

Why This Inspires

Dr. Cudkowicz, a Harvard neurologist, enrolled Johnson in a clinical trial testing anti-inflammatory therapy alongside standard medications. She believes the experimental treatment has helped slow his disease progression, giving him precious extra time with his family.

Johnson's participation means he's not just fighting for himself. Every data point from his treatment helps researchers understand ALS better and move closer to effective therapies for the 5,000 Americans diagnosed each year.

"Every day I wake up wanting more time with them to make more memories and just be their dad," Johnson said. His wife hasn't left his side, and his children give him strength to keep going.

The disease has progressed rapidly, but Johnson is still here, still fighting, and still helping science move forward. His choice to participate in research transforms his personal battle into hope for countless families facing the same diagnosis.