Chris Johnson, the Titans' 'CJ2K,' shares his ALS diagnosis
The former NFL rushing star and 2009 Offensive Player of the Year opened up about living with ALS, the disease he was diagnosed with in 2025.
Chris Johnson, the explosive running back who electrified the Tennessee Titans and finished the 2009 season with 2,006 rushing yards, has shared that he is living with ALS. In an interview that aired Monday on ABC's 'Good Morning America,' the man fans came to know as 'CJ2K' spoke openly about the diagnosis he received in 2025 and about how he is choosing to face it. He is 39 years old. With characteristic directness, Johnson said he wanted people to understand how the disease has moved through his body, and how he intends to meet it.
What did Chris Johnson say about his diagnosis?
Johnson revealed that he was diagnosed with ALS in 2025, and that his case is what doctors call sporadic ALS. 'My doctors believe my case is what's called sporadic ALS, which is actually how the vast majority of ALS cases happen,' he said, noting there is no family history of the disease. He described his first symptom as a weakening grip strength, something that has since advanced more quickly than he anticipated. 'It's continued to progress much faster than I ever imagined,' Johnson said. 'I want people to understand just how quickly ALS can attack your body.' He now uses a speech-generating device built from recordings of his own voice, and he shared that he is no longer able to lift his 7-year-old daughter. Through it all, he framed his outlook as a decision: 'You can give up, or you can fight. I chose to fight.'
What made CJ2K one of the game's most thrilling backs?
For a stretch of his career, few players in football were more electric to watch than Chris Johnson. In 2009, his second NFL season, he rushed for 2,006 yards, a total that still ranks among the highest single-season marks in league history and earned him the nickname 'CJ2K.' That year he was named the AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year, the centerpiece of a Titans offense built around his rare blend of speed and vision. He went on to post six straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons, a run of consistency that defined his prime. Defenders spent those years chasing a player who seemed to accelerate past the angles they thought they had.
What was Chris Johnson's NFL career and what is his condition now?
Johnson played 10 NFL seasons from 2008 through 2017. He spent his first six years with the Tennessee Titans, the franchise where he made his name, before later playing for the New York Jets and the Arizona Cardinals. His 2,006-yard campaign and his repeated 1,000-yard seasons made him one of the defining runners of his era. Today, Johnson is taking part in a clinical trial as part of his treatment, and he has been candid that ALS has affected him faster than he expected. By speaking publicly, he said he hopes to help others understand the disease. 'Honestly, I don't know if you ever fully process it,' he said. 'At first, you're in shock. Then you realize you have two choices.'
Sources
- ESPN: Former NFL RB Chris Johnson discusses ALS diagnosis
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