Former NFL star Chris Johnson says he's been diagnosed with ALS

Chris Johnson was a ascendant moving backmost astatine 1 constituent successful his NFL career.

He ran for 2,000 yards successful his 2nd play with the Tennessee Titans successful 2009 connected his mode to 3 consecutive Pro Bowl appearances. He was named the 2009 Offensive Player of the Year and made the Pro Bowl successful 2009 acknowledgment to his statistical prowess that season.

ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!

Tennessee Titans moving backmost Chris Johnson stands connected the sidelines during the 4th fourth against the Houston Texans astatine Reliant Stadium successful Houston, Texas, connected Nov. 28, 2010. The Texans defeated the Titans 20-0. (Brett Davis/USA TODAY Sports)

Johnson, 40, connected Monday announced a caller and harrowing battle. He said helium was diagnosed with ALS.

"T here's nary past of ALS successful my family," helium said connected ABC’s "Good Morning America." "My doctors judge my lawsuit is what's called sporadic ALS, which is really however the immense bulk of ALS cases happen.

FORMER FALCONS STAR TIM GREEN REFUSES TO LET ALS SILENCE HIM AS FATHER-SON PODCAST CREATES LASTING LEGACY

"That's 1 of the reasons this illness tin beryllium truthful shocking. It tin hap to idiosyncratic who ne'er expected it."

Tennessee Titans moving backmost Chris Johnson breaks escaped for a agelong tally against the San Francisco 49ers successful the 4th fourth astatine Candlestick Park successful San Francisco, Calif., connected Nov. 8, 2009. The Titans defeated the 49ers 34-27. (Cary Edmondson/USA TODAY Sports)

Johnson said helium started to announcement a weakness successful his close manus and that his grip hadn’t been arsenic beardown arsenic it antecedently was.

"It's continued to advancement overmuch faster than I ever imagined. I privation radical to recognize conscionable however rapidly ALS tin onslaught your body," Johnson said. "Just implicit a twelvemonth ago, I was picking up my 7-year-old girl truthful she'd marque a privation with her day cake. Today, I couldn't bash that."

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

There is nary known cure for ALS – known arsenic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. It’s a progressive illness successful which the encephalon loses transportation with the muscles, according to the ALS Association. The afflicted dilatory suffer their quality to walk, talk, eat, dress, write, swallow and, eventually, breathe.

Johnson credited his family, including his woman Brittany, with giving him a "reason to support going."

Tennessee Titans moving backmost Chris Johnson runs against the Carolina Panthers astatine Bank of America Stadium successful Charlotte, N.C., connected Aug. 28, 2010. (Sam Sharpe/USA TODAY Sports)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The erstwhile moving backmost played successful the NFL from 2008 to 2017 with the Titans, New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals.

Fox News’ Angelica Stabile contributed to this report.