{"id":3537,"date":"2026-06-29T17:06:35","date_gmt":"2026-06-29T17:06:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/durhammovinghub.com\/?p=3537"},"modified":"2026-06-29T17:06:35","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T17:06:35","slug":"former-ecu-nfl-star-chris-johnson-reveals-shocking-als-diagnosis-what-we-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/durhammovinghub.com\/?p=3537","title":{"rendered":"Former ECU, NFL star Chris Johnson reveals \u2018shocking\u2019 ALS diagnosis. What we know"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Former East Carolina and Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson is making headlines again, but this time it\u2019s not for his athletic plays on the field.<\/p>\n

Read more A year late, NC lawmakers finishing budget bill on Monday, with votes this week<\/a><\/p>\n

Johnson, 40, announced during an interview with Good Morning America<\/a> he was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig\u2019s disease. The Pirates\u2019 career leader in touchdowns scored said he received the diagnosis last year, at age 39.<\/p>\n

Johnson\u2019s diagnosis stunned him and his family. He is the first person to develop the disease.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no history of ALS in my family,\u201d Johnson told GMA. \u201cMy doctors believe my case is what\u2019s called sporadic ALS, which is actually how the vast majority of ALS cases happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the interview, Johnson said he first noticed weakness in his right hand. His grip \u201cdidn\u2019t feel right\u201d and it wasn\u2019t as strong as it had been, despite remaining active after his NFL retirement.<\/p>\n

His wife, Brittany, said she thought it might be a pinched nerve or another health condition caused by or related to his football career. Johnson recorded for more than 11,000 yards \u2014 including 9,600 rushing \u2014 during his 10-year NFL career. He also ran for nearly 3,000 rushing yards and more than 2,700 kickoff return yards during his career at ECU.<\/p>\n

He was originally given a few months to live. The family sought care from Dr. Merit Cudkowicz, who treated the late actor Eric Dane before his death in February. Johnson is taking three different medications while participating in a clinical trial to help study and treat the disease.<\/p>\n

The disease, however, has spread rapidly and Johnson already uses a device, which uses his recorded voice, to help him speak. ALS is a neurological disorder that causes paralysis. It impacts a person\u2019s ability to move, talk, swallow and breathe.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s continued to progress much faster than I ever imagined. I want people to understand just how quickly ALS can attack your body,\u201d he said. \u201cJust over a year ago, I was picking up my 7-year-old daughter, so she\u2019d make a wish with her birthday cake. Today, I couldn\u2019t do that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Johnson is now using his platform to raise awareness about the disease and push for additional research. There is no cure, but treatments can help slow the disease progression.<\/p>\n

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Johnson also wants to remind people that it hasn\u2019t changed who he is; he\u2019s still a fighter and his passions remain the same.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want people to know that I\u2019m still me. ALS has changed what my body can do, but it hasn\u2019t changed who I am,\u201d he said. \u201cPeople sometimes look at the physical disability and assume you\u2019re not still the same person inside. I still think the same. I still dream. I still love my family. My body just doesn\u2019t cooperate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Johnson scored 44 touchdowns during his college career and scored 24 in 2007, his senior season. Both statistics lead ECU\u2019s all-time records<\/a>. He was a two-time All-Conference USA first team selection and Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Year in 2007.<\/p>\n

The Tennessee Titans selected Johnson as the No. 24 overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, becoming the program\u2019s second-ever first-round pick. The Dallas Cowboys selected Robert Jones, who was also taken at No. 24, in 1992.<\/p>\n

Johnson retired from the NFL at the conclusion of the 2017 season. He spent six years with the Titans, recording at least 1,000 rushing yards each season, before he was traded to the New York Jets. Johnson spent one season with the Jets before playing his final three years at Arizona. He did not record fewer than 600 rushing yards<\/a> until the 2016 and 2017 seasons.<\/p>\n

During his career, Johnson was a three-time Pro Bowler and NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2009. He notched a single-season NFL record 2,509 yards from scrimmage and 2,006 rushing yards. He is one of nine NFL players to surpass 2,000 rushing yards, earning him the nickname CJ2K.<\/p>\n

Johnson was inducted into the ECU Athletics Hall of Fame<\/a> in 2018 and finished his communications degree in 2020.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are heartbroken to learn of Chris Johnson\u2019s diagnosis,\u201d ECU Athletics posted on social media. \u201cChris is one of the greatest players in the history of East Carolina University and someone who has inspired Pirate Nation through his determination, work ethic and perseverance throughout his life.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile this diagnosis presents an unimaginable challenge, anyone who knows Chris understands the strength, courage and competitive spirit he possesses. Our thoughts and prayers are with Chris, his wife, Brittany, their children and the entire Johnson family. The ECU community stands firmly behind him and will support him throughout this fight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more Bedbugs shut down DMV office in Durham for 2 weeks<\/a><\/p>\n

This story was originally published June 29, 2026 at 12:12 PM.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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