Dwight Clark has been diagnosed with ALS

Former San Francisco 49ers receiver Dwight Clark announced Sunday that he’s been diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, better known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Clark, 60, released the statement on former 49ers owner Ed DeBartolo Jr.’s website. According to the statement, Clark started feeling weakness in his left hand in September 2015.

“I was mildly paying attention to it because since my playing days, I’ve constantly had pain in my neck. I was thinking it was related to some kind of nerve damage because it would just come and go.”

After months of treatments and tests, Clark was diagnosed with the disease. He said he will face ALS over the coming years and is “going to fight like hell and live every day to the fullest.”

Clark, who cannot walk long distances, run, or play golf, described picking up over 30 pounds a chore, but he has some good news.

“The one piece of good news is that the disease seems to be progressing more slowly than in some patients.”

Clark took many hits during his NFL career, and he isn’t ruling that out as a reason for his diagnosis.

“I’ve been asked if playing football caused this. I don’t know for sure. But I certainly suspect it did. And I encourage the NFLPA and the NFL to continue working together in their efforts to make the game of football safer, especially as it relates to head trauma.”

Clark is aware that he has a huge battle win in front of him, but he isn’t fighting this alone. He’s receiving unwavering support from family and former teammates.

He will not hold any press conferences or do interviews. Clark said he has work to do, and the time for that will come.

“I’ve got to devote all my energy preparing for this battle and I would hope you can respect my family’s privacy as I begin this challenge. My ultimate hope is that eventually I can assist in finding a cure for ALS, which disrupts the lives of so many and their loved ones.”

Clark isn’t the only former NFL player batting ALS. Former New Orleans Saints safety Steve Gleason, who is also battling ALS, has been working to find a cure for the disease. His website is teamgleason.org and his foundation released a message of support for Dwight on Monday:

Clark is one of the best players in 49ers history. He is known for “The Catch,” the touchdown reception Clark made in the back of the end zone at Candlestick Park to give the 49ers a 28-27 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in the 1982 NFC Championship.

The 49ers went on to win Super Bowl XVI against the Cincinnati Bengals, and that play ignited the 49ers dynasty in the 1980s. Clark hauled in 506 passes for 6,750 yards 48 touchdowns in his nine-year career. He also has the third-most receiving yards in 49ers history.