Tim Green, of counsel, was featured in the New York Times article “Nearly Silenced by ALS, an Ex-NFL Pro Thrives Telling His Story” about how Tim uses his battle with ALS and his NFL career as inspiration for his bestselling books.
The article, which notes the roles Tim has had throughout his life—former linebacker and defensive end for the Atlanta Falcons, attorney, commentator on NPR, TV show host, and author—explores a normal day in Tim’s life with ALS. Writing his latest book, Final Season, which is based on true events of Tim’s family’s life, was a laborious process due to communicating and writing using a device that tracks his eye movement to select letters to create messages the device then types out.
“It takes immense patience, even now, when I’ve been writing several hours a day, six days a week, for three years,” Tim said. “This machine is beautiful, but temperamental. When I had the use of my fingers, this book would have taken me less than a year to write.”
Tim believes his time spent playing football, a contact sport characterized by its players often sustaining concussions, is what caused his ALS. However, he hasn’t let his ALS stop him from being a husband, father, attorney, and author. “His soul and his brain. That is what we love and call Dad,” said his 27-year-old son Troy.
While ALS is a neurodegenerative disorder that will cause his physical health to continue to deteriorate, Tim has decided to make a concerted effort to focus on his mental health. He reminds himself of what he’s grateful for, such as enjoying time spent with his family and friends, and remembers moments in his life that are special to him.
Tim recounts how the events that became the basis for Final Season caused tension in his family. The family grappled with whether Ty, Tim’s then 12-year-old son, should continue to play football on his local youth team given Tim’s worsening ALS. Tim thought that Ty could continue to play safely; however, his wife, Ilyssa, saw the damage the sport caused and wanted it to be Ty’s final season playing football.
Tim doesn’t regret his time spent playing football. In fact, he misses nearly everything about his NFL career. Tim said, “The TV cameras, the uniforms, the colors, the pageantry, the smell of fresh air spoiled by sizzling dogs, spilled beer, fresh tape, and cut grass, the crowds, their cheers and their boos. The paychecks, fast cars, the bursting joy on the face of a kid, and all you did was scribble your name on his cap. The joys are endless.”