Former NFL running back Chris Johnson revealed on Monday during an appearance on “Good Morning America” that he has been diagnosed with ALS. Two days after that conversation with former New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan, Johnson took to social media to ask supporters to bring back a viral fundraising movement that went quiet after 2014.
The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge took the country by storm during the summer of 2014, generating $115 million in donations for the ALS Association, according to the organization’s own website.
“Years ago, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge united millions of people around one cause and helped change the fight against this disease,” Johnson wrote in his social media post. “Today, I’m asking you to help me do it again.”
The original 2014 movement was launched by three men living with ALS — Anthony Senerchia, Pete Frates, and Pat Quinn — and inspired 17 million people to dump buckets of ice water over their heads while donating to ALS charities. Beyond the money raised, the campaign brought widespread attention to ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, and helped fund both research and care for those living with the condition.
In his post, Johnson credited former Utah basketball player Hunter Mecum as the spark behind his decision to revive the challenge. Mecum posted a video of himself completing the challenge in Johnson’s honor and then called out “2,000 active NFL players” to follow suit — a nod to Johnson’s legendary 2,000-yard rushing season.
Johnson himself has nominated former NFL players LenDale White, Marshawn Lynch, and Adam “Pacman” Jones to participate. White previously shared the backfield with Johnson during their time together in Tennessee.
Johnson also posted his own video completing the challenge and directed supporters to donate to Massachusetts General Hospital’s Sean M. Healey & AMG Center for ALS. As of Thursday, his campaign had raised more than $33,000.
Both Lynch and White have already responded with their own videos. White then passed the challenge along to Deion Sanders, Vince Young, and Mike Sims-Walker. Johnson’s daughter has also joined the effort, nominating her brothers and LeBron James to take part.
Johnson was selected 24th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. During his second season in 2009, he became just the sixth running back in league history to rush for 2,000 yards in a single season, carrying the ball 358 times for 2,006 yards — a feat that earned him the nickname CJ2K. Over his 10-year NFL career with the Tennessee Titans, New York Jets, and Arizona Cardinals, he accumulated 2,163 carries for 9,651 yards and 55 touchdowns.
The ALS Association describes the disease as one that causes “a person’s brain [to lose] connection with the muscles, slowly taking away their ability to walk, talk, eat and eventually breathe. Although there is still no cure or treatment that halts progression, new treatments are helping to slow and ease symptoms.”
