The former Titans teammates now share an unexpected bond, and Shaw says Johnson has become a source of inspiration for him, too.
By PAUL KUHARSKY
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Tim Shaw's experience with ALS would seem to make him a source of support for Chris Johnson. But Shaw says Johnson has inspired him in return.
Johnson revealed publicly on Good Morning America on Monday that he has ACL, and the effects in a little over a year have been fast and severe. The two were teammates on the Titans for three seasons.
"I've got to brag on him," Shaw told me by text. "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 played for the Titans from 2010 to 2012, the final three seasons of a six-year career.
In August of 2014, Shaw revealed he had ALS and said he did not blame football.
Other former NFL players are prominent in the push for ALS research and awareness: Steve Gleason, Tim Green and OJ Brigance.
Shaw has remained a regular at Titans headquarters, where he helps the special teams units and is regarded by current special teams coach John Fassel as a resource.
"I'm very proud of CJ," Shaw said. "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."
While Shaw can share a lot with Johnson, their experiences with ALS already vary a great deal.
Shaw told me two years after his diagnosis he was still playing golf. From Johnson's interview, we learned that in a little over a year, he went from lifting his seven-year-old daughter to blow out birthday candles to being unable to hold a cap and communicating with a speed-generating machine.
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