The Tennessee Titans named retired linebacker Tim Shaw as one of their six captains for the 2017 season, the team announced Monday. Shaw, a former member of the team, is battling ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Titans name retired LB battling ALS as a team captain for 2017 season
Tim Shaw hasn’t played in the NFL since 2013, but he’ll still be a captain for Tennessee this season.
Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images
“It is real special for Tim to be with us,” linebacker Wesley Woodyard, one of the other captains, told the team website. “Nobody knows how many days you have on this earth, and him battling ALS, it shows the courage he has to keep going on. It is amazing to have him around, and we cherish him.”
Shaw played with the Titans from 2010-12 and filled the role of special teams captain during his final two seasons. He was originally a fifth-round pick by the Panthers in the 2007 NFL draft after four years at Penn State. The Titans cut him before the start of the 2013 season, which marked the end of his playing career.
In 2014, Shaw revealed he had been diagnosed with ALS before participating in the Ice Bucket Challenge, which drew awareness and donations for research of the disease. He’s since worked to spread the word and help others fight ALS, becoming an inspiration for countless people in the process.
Members of the Titans have seen firsthand the impact that Shaw has had in communities since his retirement from football. Now they’ll get a chance to honor their former teammate every week.
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