Chris Johnson's former teammate reflects on ex-star's surprise ALS diagnosis, tight-knit bond after milestone

The NFL satellite was stunned connected Monday erstwhile it became nationalist that Chris Johnson, 1 of conscionable 9 players ever to unreserved for 2,000 yards successful a season, is suffering from ALS.

The quality deed adjacent to location for Ryan Fitzpatrick, who played for Johnson's Tennessee Titans for a season. And contempt it being conscionable 1 year, the 2 person a peculiar connection.

"He was a large teammate erstwhile I got to play with him for the 1 year, and evidently a ace talented feline connected the shot field. We texted astir a twelvemonth ago. I was conscionable looking backmost astatine our substance messages, and 1 of the things that I had sent him — the 100th touchdown walk that I threw successful the NFL was to CJ2K, and helium signed the shot for maine and gave it to me. It says, 'To my chill achromatic boy. Congrats connected fig 100,'" Fitzpatrick recalled successful an interrogation with Fox News Digital. "So the magnitude of thoroughfare recognition I person from Chris Johnson calling maine a chill achromatic lad has ever been awesome to me."

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, No. 4 of the Tennessee Titans, hands disconnected to moving backmost Chris Johnson, No. 28, against the Seattle Seahawks astatine CenturyLink Field connected October 13, 2013 successful Seattle, Washington. (Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

But ALS is conscionable specified a pugnacious happening to person to woody with, evidently for Chris and for everybody astir him. You tin conscionable ideate the frustrations of his caput being determination but his assemblage starting to neglect him and however hard that is. We're evidently each hoping for the champion for him, and each our emotion and enactment goes to him and his woman and his family."

In a lengthy societal media post, Johnson said that determination is increasing probe that shows a nexus betwixt repetitive caput trauma and ALS, and studies person shown that NFL players are 4 times arsenic apt to make ALS arsenic the wide population.

Fitzpatrick, personally, said that erstwhile it comes to football, helium would bash it each implicit again, adjacent arsenic the risks are much prevalent present than ever before. However, what comes with property is much grim reality.

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)

FORMER NFL STAR CHRIS JOHNSON SAYS HE'S BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH ALS

"I bash deliberation guys playing shot recognize astatine slightest the wide scope of what the risks are. I deliberation a batch of guys would archer you, and I would beryllium the aforesaid way, shot has fixed maine truthful overmuch successful my beingness that it's thing I would bash again successful a heartbeat. And for my kids that privation to prosecute it, I'm blessed for them to prosecute it," Fitzpatrick said.

"But arsenic you get older, I'm 43, arsenic you get older, and your parents get older, I mislaid my ma 5 years ago, there's conscionable much worldly that seems to happen. It's truly sad. One of my champion friends from precocious schoolhouse was diagnosed with ALS. So seeing that firsthand, and the difficulties that travel with it, not conscionable for him but everybody that is astir him, it's truly hard. As you get older, worldly happens, and determination are things that you person to woody with and fig out. So unfortunately, it's a pugnacious portion astir aging."

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.

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)

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’ Ryan Gaydos and Angelica Stabile contributed to this report.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports sum connected X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.