Matt Hasselbeck says Chris Johnson ALS diagnosis shook him: 'Larger-than-life player'

Chris Johnson was “Superman” for the Tennessee Titans, according to his former backfield mate.

Johnson, the 2009 Offensive Player of the Year, recently announced he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. The former Titan also spent time with the New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals and is among the great running backs of his era.

He was much more than just that, according to former NFL quarterback and teammate Matt Hasselbeck. Speaking with Paul Skrbina of The Tennessean (part of the USA TODAY Network), Hasselbeck, who played alongside Johnson between 2011 and 2012, likened the running back to the cape-wearing comic book icon.

“When I saw that piece . . . it really shakes you because he (Johnson) was kind of like a Superman figure on that team, in a different way than Tim Shaw, but yet still Superman,” Hasselbeck said. “Tim Shaw is kind of like a superhero. Chris Johnson is like a Superman.”

Shaw, another former Titan, played in Tennessee between 2010 and 2012. He revealed in 2014 that he had been diagnosed with ALS.

Hasselbeck added that Johnson was a major driving force behind his decision to head to Nashville after spending the decade prior quarterbacking the Seattle Seahawks.

“How I kind of got recruited there was, ‘Hey, we’ve got the most explosive player in the game in our backfield. We need you to be the point guard at the line of scrimmage, get us into the right play and let CJ2K do his thing.'”

“He was a larger-than-life player in the whole league, not just for the Tennessee Titans.”

Hasselbeck wasn’t the only one who felt Johnson’s impact on the team. Jeff Fisher, who coached Johnson on the Titans between 2008 and 2010, called Johnson a “unique” talent and added that he was “proud” of Johnson’s gumption.

“I would say extremely courageous as well,” Fisher said.

The tributes from Hasselbeck and Fisher echo sentiments and support from those around the NFL and sports world in the wake of Johnson’s announcement.

During his prime, Johnson was one of the most prolific offensive threats in the NFL. He is one of just nine running backs to rush for 2,000 yards or more in a season, and his NFL record 2,509 scrimmage yards still stands entering the 2026 season.

He retired in November 2018, and later signed a one-day contract with the Titans to retire a member of the organization.

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ALS is short for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and is also known as motor neuron disease or Lou Gehrig’s disease.

According to the United States National Institute of Health (NIH) and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke the degenerative disease “affects motor neurons … the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement and breathing.” ALS causes weakness in the muscles that gradually progresses and worsens. ALS eventually progresses to affect muscles needed for speaking, eating and breathing, making it a terminal disease.

There is currently no known cure for ALS, but researchers have developed treatments that can slow the speed at which the disease progresses. According to the NIH, most people with ALS die “within 3-to-5 years of symptoms first appearing.” One in 10 people suffering from ALS survive 10-plus years.