Chris Johnson, 3-Time NFL Pro Bowl Running Back, Diagnosed With ALS
Former NFL running back Chris Johnson was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, in 2025 at age 39. The neurodegenerative disorder, which gradually destroys the motor neurons controlling movement, eventually reaching the muscles needed to breathe, has progressed so rapidly that, at age 40, Johnson can no longer speak without the help of a speech-generating device that replicates his voice nor perform basic physical tasks, like holding a cup.
Johnson played in the NFL from 2008 to 2017 — mostly with the Tennessee Titans, followed by one season with the New York Jets and three with the Arizona Cardinals. He revealed the news of his diagnosis to fellow former NFL player Michael Strahan on Good Morning America on June 29, 2026. Weakness in Johnson’s right hand and a fading grip were the first signs something was wrong — a common way ALS first shows up. Early symptoms often start small and localized, like muscle twitching, cramps, slurred speech, or trouble with everyday tasks, before progressing to affect breathing and swallowing.
Why It Matters
Johnson’s diagnosis is significant because it hit a world-class athlete in his late 30s with no family history of the disease. This is categorized as sporadic ALS, which represents 90% of ALS patients.
In other words, ALS can surface in almost anyone, often without warning. And while the disease steadily strips away physical function, it typically leaves the mind intact. As Johnson told Strahan, “ALS has changed what my body can do, but it hasn’t changed who I am.”
How Common Is ALS?
Globally, ALS affects roughly four to six out of every 100,000 people, and about 10 per 100,000 in the U.S. and Europe. The frequency of ALS has continued to trend upward over the past two decades in many regions.
ALS is broadly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease because it was the cause of the New York Yankees’ first baseman’s death in 1941, following his diagnosis in 1939, which garnered international attention.
Both Johnson’s and Gehrig’s cases are somewhat anomalous, in that they received their diagnoses relatively young, at ages 39 and 36, respectively, compared to the median patient’s age, which is between 54 and 69. Patients with a family history of ALS tend to be more susceptible at younger ages. Male patients are typically diagnosed at younger ages than female patients.
Though inconclusive, males seem to be more susceptible to ALS, with a reported ratio nearly double that of females. Reports from Africa have shown the male-to-female ratio to be nearly triple.
Is There a Cure for ALS?
There is no known cure for ALS. Many therapeutic and observational studies and clinical trials have been completed, and many others remain ongoing.
Funding for ALS research has grown since the passage of the Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act (ACT for ALS Act) on December 23, 2021, which aims to accelerate drug development and support experimental treatments, reaching a record $315 million in fiscal year 2026.
The five-year funding provided by the Act will either expire or be reauthorized by Congress on September 30, 2026.
