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The NFL world was stunned Monday when it became public that Chris Johnson, one of nine players to pass for 2,000 rushing yards in a season, was suffering from ALS.
The news hit close to home for Ryan Fitzpatrick, who played for Johnson’s Tennessee Titans for one season. And even though it’s only been a year, the two have a special bond.
“He was a great teammate when I played with him for a year, and obviously a super talented guy on the football field. We texted about a year ago. I was just thinking back to our texts, and one of the things I sent him – the 100th touchdown pass I threw in the NFL was to CJ2K, and he signed the ball for me and gave it to me. He says, ‘To my cool white boy. Congratulations on number 100,” Fitzpatrick recalled in an interview with PK Press Club Digital. “So the cred that Chris Johnson gave me on the street calling me a cool white boy was always great to me.”
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Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, #4, hands off to running back Chris Johnson, #28, against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field on October 13, 2013 in Seattle, Washington. (Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
But ALS is such a difficult disease to deal with, obviously for Chris and everyone around him. You can just imagine the frustrations of his mind, but his body starting to fail him and how difficult it is. We all obviously hope the best for him, and all our love and support goes out to him, his wife and his family.”
In a lengthy social media post, Johnson said more and more research shows a link between repetitive head trauma and ALS, and studies have shown that NFL players are four times more likely to develop ALS than the general population.
Fitzpatrick, personally, said that when it comes to football, he would do it again, even though the risks are more prevalent than ever. However, what comes with age is a darker reality.
Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson faces the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina on August 28, 2010. (Sam Sharpe/USA TODAY Sports)
FORMER NFL STAR CHRIS JOHNSON SAYS HE WAS DIAGNOSIS WITH ALS
“I think guys who play football at least understand the magnitude of the risks. I think a lot of guys would tell you, and I would be the same, football has given me so much in my life that it’s something I would do again in a heartbeat. And for my kids who want to pursue it, I’m happy that they’re pursuing it,” Fitzpatrick said.
“But as you get older, I’m 43, as you get older and your parents get older, I lost my mom five years ago, there’s even more things that seem to happen. It’s really sad. One of my best friends from high school was diagnosed with ALS. So to see that firsthand and the struggles that come with it, not just for him but for everyone around him, it’s really hard. As you get older, things happen, and there are things you have to deal with and figure out unfortunately, it’s a difficult part of getting older.”
There is no known cure for ALS – known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. It is a progressive disease in which the brain loses connection with the muscles, according to the ALS Association. Affected people gradually lose their ability to walk, talk, eat, dress, write, swallow and, ultimately, breathe.
Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson breaks free for a long run against the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth quarter at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California on November 8, 2009. The Titans defeated the 49ers 34-27. (Cary Edmondson/USA TODAY Sports)
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The former running back played in the NFL from 2008 to 2017 with the Titans, New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals.
