ECU made an announcement on Thursday about how the football team will honor former player Chris Johnson, who has ALS, this season.
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Photo credit: (ECU Sports Information)
By ECU Sports Information
Pirate Nation will stand with one of its all-time greats throughout the 2026 football season.
East Carolina University Director of Athletics Jon Gilbert announced Thursday that the Pirates will wear a special helmet decal throughout the 2026 football season in support of ECU Hall of Famer Chris Johnson and his courageous fight against ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis).
Johnson recently announced he was diagnosed with sporadic ALS. Since sharing his diagnosis publicly, Johnson has used his platform to raise awareness of ALS while offering support and hope to individuals and families impacted by the disease.
“Chris is a Pirate legend, but more importantly, he is a special member of the ECU family, and we want him to know that Pirate Nation is with him every step of the way,” Gilbert said. “The outpouring of support for Chris from across the country has been amazing to see. We hope wearing this decal will continue to raise awareness, show our support for Chris, and bring strength and encouragement to everyone impacted by ALS.”
“Chris Johnson will forever be a Pirate, and when one of our own faces a challenge like this, we stand together as one Pirate family,” said Blake Harrell, ECU Football Head Coach. “Chris has inspired so many throughout his life with his exploits and accomplishments on the football field, and now he is doing it with the strength and determination he is showing in his fight. Every time our team takes the field this season, we will proudly carry his name and his fight with us.”
Along with the decal in support of Johnson, ECU’s helmets will feature American flag and American Conference decals during the 2026 season.
The Pirates open the season on Sept. 5 at Alabama.
Johnson, who wore number five with the Pirates from 2004-07, finished his ECU career ranked third on the school’s all-time rushing list and first in all-purpose yards. During his career, he established 18 school single-game, season and career records.
A member of the ECU Athletics Hall of Fame, Johnson is one of only two Pirates ever selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. He was chosen 24th overall by the Tennessee Titans in 2008 and went on to become one of the most dynamic running backs in NFL history.