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- DeSean Jackson vowed love and support for Chris Johnson, saying he and others will "fight this thing" with him.
- He nominated Chad "Ocho" Johnson, Terrell Owens and Steve Smith for the next Ice Bucket Challenge.
- A growing list of NFL figures posted videos backing Chris Johnson, including Marshawn Lynch, Deion Sanders, Adrian Peterson and Emmitt Smith.
- Chris Johnson rushed for 2,006 yards in 2009, ranks seventh single-season, earned AP Offensive Player of the Year and nickname CJ2K.
Delaware State head football coach DeSean Jackson completed the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge in support of former NFL running back Chris Johnson, dumping a bucket of ice water over his head and pledging $2,500 through the DeSean Jackson Foundation.
Jackson posted his video directly to Johnson, who announced last month that he has been diagnosed with ALS.
“My brother, Chris Johnson, man, I want to start off with telling you, man, I love you, brother, and we here for you, and we gonna fight this thing with you, man,” Jackson said. “I would have never thought I would be sitting here making this video, but God has a plan, man. And we gonna stand with you, brother. We gonna fight this thing with you. On behalf of the DeSean Jackson Foundation, we donated $2,500… We love you. We stand with you.”
Jackson closed his video by nominating the next round of participants.
“I’m gonna challenge Ocho (Chad Johnson), Terrell Owens and Steve Smith,” Jackson said.
The Delaware State coach joins a growing list of NFL figures who have taken part in the challenge since Johnson’s diagnosis went public on “Good Morning America.” Marshawn Lynch, LenDale White, Vince Young, Deion Sanders, Adrian Peterson, Emmitt Smith, Aaron Donald, Malcolm Butler, C.J. Spiller and Thurman Thomas are among those who have posted videos backing Johnson under the #cj2kicebucketchallenge hashtag.
The original Ice Bucket Challenge raised an estimated $135 million in the United States and $220 million worldwide in 2014 for ALS research and care, according to the ALS Therapy Development Institute.
Johnson played 10 seasons in the NFL with the Tennessee Titans, New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals. He rushed for 2,006 yards in 2009, a total that still ranks seventh for a single season in league history, and earned the nickname CJ2K while collecting Associated Press NFL Offensive Player of the Year honors.
Jackson enters his second season leading the Hornets after guiding Delaware State to an 8-4 record in 2025, the program’s best mark since the 2007 MEAC championship season. The team lost 28-17 to South Carolina State in the season finale, giving the Bulldogs the 2025 MEAC Championship.
New participants added themselves to the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge; expect many more videos to circulate across the NFL and HBCU football communities in the coming days.
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