Chris Johnson’s Public ALS Diagnosis Pushed Former Teammate Tim Shaw Into New Clinical Trials

Tim Shaw has been fighting ALS for 12 years. Then his former Tennessee Titans teammate Chris Johnson went public with his own ALS diagnosis, and something shifted.

Shaw, a former Titans linebacker diagnosed in 2014, told journalist Paul Kuharsky by text that Johnson’s decision to share his fight with the world has had a direct and tangible effect on his own treatment decisions

“I’ve got to brag on him. He’s actually injected some hope in me. I’ve been in this fight for 12 years. Like anything else, you get into your routines and beliefs. His great attitude and excitement about treatments have shaken me out of survival mode, and I actually got a couple of treatments two weeks ago, and I’ve joined two clinical trials. So I don’t know if I’ve done anything for him, but he’s done a lot for me.”

Shaw also addressed Johnson’s choice to go public directly: “I’m very proud of CJ. Telling the world is super tough, especially when you’re a private person. Chris and I have been talking for a while. He’s got such a great attitude. He’s got all the motivation of his family, and he has faith in God for his future. So he’s crushing it.”

Chris Johnson’s Public ALS Fight

Johnson revealed his ALS diagnosis on Good Morning America earlier this week. He is 40 years old and received the diagnosis last year at 39. Johnson is one of only nine players in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season, a feat he accomplished in 2009. He now communicates using a speech-generating device that reproduces his own voice, built from recordings he and his wife made shortly after his diagnosis.

Johnson was reportedly advised early on to get his affairs in order. Instead, he and his wife sought out experimental protocols and enrolled in clinical trials aimed at slowing the disease’s progression. That aggressive decision toward treatment pushed Shaw to act.