NFL legend Chris Johnson opens up about possible connection between football and ALS

Former NFL running back Chris Johnson has acknowledged the possibility that his football career contributed to his ALS diagnosis after learning about research linking the disease to former players.

Johnson revealed in June that he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a progressive neurodegenerative disease.

In a letter to his children published by The Players’ Tribune, Johnson said doctors appeared to take notice when he mentioned his NFL career.

“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,’” Johnson wrote.

The former Tennessee Titans star also cited research suggesting former NFL players were nearly four times as likely to develop and die from ALS compared with the overall US male population.

“That was a shock,” Johnson wrote.

However, he stressed that the research does not prove football caused his condition. “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.”