Michael Strahan fires back after Chris Johnson interview sparks heavy backlash Andrew GambleWed, July 29, 2026 at 4:33 PM UTC 0 Michael Strahan conducted the interview with Chris Johnson to publicly share his ALS diagnosis Credit:Getty Images Good Morning America cohost and former NFL star Michael Strahan has hit back at criticism for his interview with Chris Johnson. Once one of the fastest running backs in NFL history, Johnson was diagnosed with ALS last year at the age of 39 and has already lost the ability to speak.
Michael Strahan fires back after Chris Johnson interview sparks heavy backlash
Andrew GambleWed, July 29, 2026 at 4:33 PM UTC
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Michael Strahan conducted the interview with Chris Johnson to publicly share his ALS diagnosis -Credit:Getty Images
Good Morning America co-host and former NFL star Michael Strahan has hit back at criticism for his interview with Chris Johnson.
Once one of the fastest running backs in NFL history, Johnson was diagnosed with ALS last year at the age of 39 and has already lost the ability to speak. The 2009 Offensive Player of the Year revealed his ALS diagnosis in a major interview with Strahan on Good Morning America last month.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive neurological condition that gradually damages motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. Over time, this leads to a loss of muscle control and worsening physical function — and there is currently no cure for the disease.
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ALS is the most common form of motor neuron disease and typically begins with slowly progressive symptoms such as muscle stiffness, twitching, weakness, and muscle wasting. As motor neurons continue to deteriorate, patients gradually lose the ability to eat, speak, move, and eventually breathe independently without mechanical support.
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In the interview, Johnson communicated via an eye-controlled speech device while sitting alongside his wife, Brittany. Strahan has been criticized for not asking the former running back about his CTE and its connection with football, but he insisted it was really not the moment, as Johnson let his condition be public.
“That was Chris's moment for Chris to share the story, which Chris wanted to share,” Strahan said on ‘The Dan Patrick Show.’ “And when I got the call that Chris wanted to share that he had ALS, that was the story.
“It wasn't for me to grandstand; I hate when people do this, Dan. As an interviewer, our job is to deliver information. I'm not trying to get a bigger name for myself by putting somebody else in an uncomfortable position.
Chris Johnson needed a machine to speak in his ABC interview -Credit:ABC News/Good Morning America
“I was there as a service to Chris for what Chris wanted people to understand and know about his life and where he was now. I was not there to make a story about myself or to get a big headline. That's what it wasn't about.”
Research shows that former NFL players face a significantly elevated risk of developing and dying from ALS, with an increased risk heavily tied to repetitive head impacts and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). CTE, a progressive degenerative disease affecting people who have suffered repeated concussions and traumatic brain injuries, often occurs in athletes who have been exposed to repetitive head impacts.
Strahan is proud of the ABC interview and grateful that Johnson trusted him and the network with the announcement. Johnson told Strahan that he couldn’t hold a cup these days, while the use of a speech generator was particularly alarming and telling of how quickly his ALS has progressed.
Johnson retired from professional football in 2017 after a three-year stint with the Arizona Cardinals. He is best known for his six seasons with the Tennessee Titans, during which he earned three Pro Bowl selections and was named Offensive Player of the Year, before joining the New York Jets.
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Published: July 29, 2026 at 07:45PM on Source: MORNING MAG
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