Former Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson is reflecting on his NFL career — and the potential role it had in his ALS diagnosis.
Johnson, 40, published a letter to his four kids in the Players’ Tribune on Thursday, September 10, where he drew a link between his football days and his diagnosis, which he went public with in June.
“I’ve seen a lot of neurologists at this point and been to basically every major ALS clinic in the country, and in my experience, as soon as you say you played football it’s like, ‘Ahh, OK,’” he wrote. “Almost like an understanding, you know? I read one study, and from my understanding, it found that former NFL players were nearly four times as likely to develop and pass away from ALS compared with the U.S. male population overall. That was a shock.”
He added, “And to be clear, your dad’s not an expert, and that’s just one study, and there might be other environmental factors at play. Anybody can get ALS. But obviously, I can’t help but wonder if there’s any connection between my career and where I am now.”
Chris and his wife, Brittany, share four kids, who he addressed as Honey Buns, CJ, Kaden and Lee in his letter.
A three-time Pro Bowler, Chris played 10 seasons in the NFL, mostly with the Titans, and was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2009. He retired in 2017.
Almost a decade later, Chris is not looking to discourage his kids from playing football, despite the possible connection to his ALS.
“Your football journey is yours,” he wrote. “Be fearless, be you, and don’t let anyone stand in the way of your dreams. The game is a lot safer now than when I was playing. And hopefully it just keeps on getting safer.”
Chris first shared his diagnosis in an appearance on Good Morning America alongside his wife, who said she is still holding out hope for a miracle.
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“All I could think about was our kids and how young they are,” she said. “You’re in denial. You want it to be anything else. You want the doctors to be wrong. The life that we previously had is now a thing of the past. But we’re still hopeful. We’re hopeful that a breakthrough will happen, or that a miracle will happen.”
Chris also sent a message to his kids that day, telling them via Instagram that “I love you more than you’ll ever know.”
“You’ve stepped into responsibilities no child should ever have to carry,” he wrote. “You’ve helped take care of me, encouraged me on the hard days, and reminded me every day why I refuse to give up. Watching you shoulder a burden that isn’t fair has been one of the hardest parts of the journey, but you’ve done it with so much love. Everything I do is for you.”
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