NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Standing on twitching legs he pointed out, former Tennessee Titans linebacker Tim Shaw watched former teammates take the Ice Bucket Challenge, shaking hands with or hugging many of them after the show of support.
Shaw revealed Tuesday he had been diagnosed with ALS.
He told the assembled media that he started questioning some muscle weakness late in 2012 and early in '13 and got the diagnosis at the end of April this year.
"I don't blame the game," Shaw said. "If you look at what ALS has done to people, that's a scary process. I'm not scared to die. But the process is a little daunting. So emotionally I've just really tried to let things out and be real and deal with them as they come, which I think is a lesson for all of us."
Shaw said he doesn't think a "great breakthrough" is far away and that he was overwhelmed and humbled by the Titans' show of support.
"It's the hardest thing I've ever had to hear," Shaw said, his voice cracking. "And so every thought runs through your mind. But as a man, you have a choice. What are you going to do? Are you going to stand up and fight for your life? Or are you going to accept what someone else tells you is reality and just fade away. ... I made that choice to stand up and live life to the fullest like I believe I always have."
Titans cornerback Jason McCourty, whose locker was just across the aisle during Shaw's three seasons in Tennessee, was at the front of the full team and many employees before they all poured ice water over their heads.
McCourty challenged all fans to take the challenge and to donate, and later said he hoped everyone would do what he or she could.
"Just seeing all the Ice Bucket Challenges throughout social media, I was like everybody's doing it -- OK someone challenged me, I'll go do it," McCourty said. "Yesterday hearing that Shaw's been diagnosed with ALS. ... When it directly impacts you, when you know somebody going through it, it changes everything.
"Doing that challenge today, going online and donating yesterday, it meant so much more to me. You know that any one of us in this locker room could be in that position. He was just here a year ago at this very moment getting ready for our third preseason game. He's fighting a whole new battle."