The Opponent He Cannot Outrun: Chris Johnson's Battle With ALS
AI-generated image · US National Wire
The former All-Pro running back once defined by his electrifying speed now faces a brutal diagnosis that has stripped away his physical autonomy.
I spend most of my year obsessing over the trade deadline—the frantic phone calls, the salary cap gymnastics, the high-stakes gambling of GMs. But some stories transcend the box score. Some stories possess a level of grit and human stakes that make the game of hockey, or any sport, feel small by comparison.
One such story is that of former NFL running back Chris Johnson. During a decade-long professional career, Johnson was a force of nature, earning three Pro Bowls, first-team All-Pro honors, and the 2009 Offensive Player of the Year award after a 2,000-yard rushing season. He was a man who could outrun anyone on the field. Now, as first reported by Sports Illustrated, he is facing an opponent he cannot outrun: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a brutal condition that attacks the brain and spinal cord, resulting in respiratory failure and debilitating muscle weakness. According to Sports Illustrated, approximately 5,500 Americans are diagnosed with the disease annually, and there is currently no cure.
For Johnson, the descent began in early 2025, less than seven years after his 2018 retirement. He initially noticed weakness in his right hand and struggled to grip weights at the gym. While he first suspected a pinched nerve or residual NFL injuries, the weakness persisted. After an electromyography test took place in Nashville last April, neurologist James Wymer of the Moran Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases in Gainesville delivered the formal diagnosis in May 2025.
The progression has been rapid. Sports Illustrated describes a man who can no longer speak, cannot keep his head fully upright, and requires significant assistance to take a single step. He now communicates via a device controlled by eye movements, utilizing a recording of his own voice. In his home outside Orlando, the silence is broken only by the sound of a bypass machine pumping oxygen every four seconds.
Beyond the physical toll is the emotional devastation described by his wife, Brittany. She tells Sports Illustrated that the hardest part is watching "little pieces of him be torn away" and imagining his internal struggle. The loss is felt acutely by their children: 8-year-old daughter Honey and 14-year-old twin sons, Chris Jr. and Kaden. Once a hands-on father who coached from the sidelines and took five-mile walks with Honey, Johnson recently missed a preseason middle school football game for his sons.
Despite the ravages of the disease, the reporting highlights a profound resilience in the family's bond. In a poignant moment captured by Sports Illustrated, Johnson was seen weeping as his wife kissed his forehead, surrounded by his mother, Alma Jackson, and his children. While the disease is relentless, the support system surrounding the former All-Pro remains equally steadfast.