Ex-Packers RB reveals Parkinson’s disease diagnosis

Ahman Green is opening up about a new battle he never expected to face. The Green Bay Packers’ former running back revealed on the “Go Long” podcast with host Tyler Dunne that he has been diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s disease. Green said the diagnosis came after he first noticed subtle warning signs.

“Last year, I got diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s,” Green said. “I had a little bit of the feet twitching when I’m in my sleep and stuff like that. I knew something was going on long before that. I just got a hold of some doctors that I was able to get in contact with, get the diagnostics, get the testing. And finally got it tested, it was January of 2025.”

Green said he intentionally kept the diagnosis private for a while so he could share it with the people closest to him first.

“I didn’t share it for a long time because I wanted to let my kids know, my family,” Green said. “I let them all know first before I told friends, family, somebody like yourself.”

Now 49, Green told Dunne he has leaned on exercise, nutrition, and medication to manage his symptoms, which have included nighttime twitching, short-term memory loss, and episodes of sleep-talking and sleepwalking.

He said his wife told him the twitching had actually been happening since shortly after his retirement in 2009. Despite the diagnosis, Green struck an optimistic tone and pushed for greater awareness of the disease, particularly given its documented links to repeated head trauma in football.

“It needs to be up front. It needs to be a topic that’s always hit. And it’s not the end all,” Green said. “To me, I have a jump ahead of it. Just like anybody discovering that they have some type of cancer in their body, I’m ahead of it right now.”

Green starred at Nebraska before spending 12 seasons in the NFL from 1998 to 2009, eight of them with the Packers, where he earned four Pro Bowl nods and one All-Pro selection. He remains Green Bay’s all-time leading rusher with 8,322 yards, and across stops with the Packers, Seahawks, and Texans, he finished his career with 9,205 rushing yards, 2,883 receiving yards, and 74 total touchdowns.