The Tennessee Titans just did something that matters more than any regular season win.
When former star running back Chris Johnson went public with his ALS diagnosis last week on Good Morning America, nobody knew exactly how his old team would respond. Now we know. The Titans not only accepted the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge in his honor, they launched a fundraiser with a $250,000 goal. As of this afternoon, they’ve already raised more than $116,000 for the Healey Center, which is on the front line of ALS research.
What Johnson Told the World
Johnson sat down with GMA and laid it all out. The 39-year-old said there’s no history of ALS in his family. None. His doctors told him his case is what they call sporadic ALS, which actually accounts for most cases of the disease. That’s the scary part. It can hit anyone.
It started with a weird weakness in his right hand. His grip felt off. He wasn’t as strong as he’d always been. His wife figured it was just the toll of 10 NFL seasons. But it wasn’t that simple.
“Honestly, I don’t know if you ever fully process it,” Johnson said. “At first, you’re in shock. Then you realize you have two choices — you can give up, or you can fight. I chose to fight.”
He admitted he may never fully come to terms with what this means. But he’s not sitting around feeling sorry for himself. He’s ready to do whatever it takes.
The Titans Response
According to Adam Schefter, the Titans jumped on the Ice Bucket Challenge bandwagon to show support. But they didn’t stop there. They set up the fundraiser specifically to back the Healey Center’s mission: finding real treatments and eventually a cure for ALS. They’re not just doing this for PR. They’re doing it for one of their own.
Johnson spent six seasons in Tennessee, rushing for over 1,000 yards every single year. His 2009 season was legendary — 2,006 yards and 14 touchdowns. That’s the kind of production that doesn’t get forgotten in a franchise’s history.
ALS is brutal. It attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, and there’s no cure yet. The Ice Bucket Challenge went viral back in 2014 and raised over $115 million for research. Now the Titans are tapping into that same energy for a guy who meant a lot to that organization.
Johnson said he’s ready to fight. His old team? They’re right there with him.
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