NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Former Tennessee Titans linebacker Tim Shaw, diagnosed with ALS in 2014, signed a one-day contract with the team and was deemed a "Titan for life" by the franchise Wednesday.
Earlier in the week he spoke to the entire roster.
"It means the world to have this organization behind me," Shaw told the team's website. "It is going to make a difference in my life, but really it is going to make a difference in more peoples' lives because the ALS community needs recognition and we need support like this. ... It really does mean the world."
ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease, attacks motor neurons, cells that control the muscles.
"Titans are family." - Tim Shawhttps://t.co/od9EDrwmV2
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) August 3, 2016
Coming out of retirement for a hot minute! Thanks Jon Robinson, coach Mularky and my @Titans family. #Titan4life https://t.co/WdXgYykOLD
— Tim Shaw (@TShawsTruth) August 3, 2016
Shaw's mother, father, brother and sister-in-law joined him Wednesday at the team's recently remodeled headquarters.
"I could tell by the look on his face how honored he is to be a Titan for life and to realize he is making a difference in not just our lives, but the lives of players here and beyond,'' his dad, John Shaw, said.
"For me, it is sad because I realize one of the reasons he is here is because of the disease he has, and that is just hard. He is dealing with it in the most honorable, wonderful way. But without that, realizing he probably wouldn't be here and doing this, that just made me sad today, too."
Shaw, 32, played in every game during his three seasons with the Titans from 2010 to 2012, and he served as a special teams captain.
