Character Award
Tim Shaw has taken on one challenge after another head-on, from his playing career to his battle with ALS. In the weeks after going public with his diagnosis of ALS in August 2014, the former Tennessee Titan linebacker did what many have when faced with an incurable disease.. He traveled to an exotic foreign country.
But Shaw’s trip to Brazil was anything but a check mark off his bucket list. Instead, it was a planned journey of service to help an impoverished Amazon-jungle village dig a freshwater well. “Just seeing people who’d never had clean water in their lives – digging the well for them and seeing them get that clean water – was an amazing, life-changing experience,” Shaw said.
He’s now tackled something else – a book. “Blitz Your Life” is a collection of reflections and challenges from Shaw, who played from 2010 – 2012 with the Titans and was diagnosed with ALS in 2014. Shaw starred at Penn State before a seven-year career in the NFL with the Panthers, Jaguars, Bears and Titans.
The Titans signed Shaw to a one day contract at the start of the 2016 season and he retired as a “Titan For Life.”
“As the stories came out of me, it was hard to deny how impactful both football and ALS have been in my life and how impactful they will be on others when they read about it. The goal for this book for me is impact. I want people to take a look at their lives, take action and change for the better.”