For Kerry Goode, life delivered a cruel kind of irony. A former Alabama running back, NFL player, and strength and conditioning coach, power is not something he trained; it was a part of who he was. He could bench 400 pounds and squat over 800 until suddenly, one day, he couldn’t even lift a cardboard box with a few things inside. The reason? ALS. And the devastating twist is that just a year before his diagnosis, he helped his Alabama teammate, Kevin Turner, raise awareness and funds for the same disease.

You’d think he would break down. But he didn’t, and instead, he channeled everything he had to help out others affected by the disease through the Kerry Goode Foundation. And because of all his efforts, he was awarded the prestigious Pat Sullivan Award, which he shared with Auburn icon Gary Godfrey. The award is bestowed on people who have positively impacted the lives of others, and also those who have held their heads high despite going through extremely tough times in life.

Right now, Goode is confined to a wheelchair, requiring round-the-clock care. He often recounts that even the most basic things are hard or impossible for him now. In his 2022 book, ‘Goode and Faithful Servant,’ he recounts that a fall marked the last time he was able to answer the doorbell. There was also a time when Goode stopped driving after not being able to make a right-handed turn, while having floodlights on with car horns going off behind him.

Goode also suffers from polycythemia vera, a form of blood cancer, along with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. Still, he has defied norms by adapting to his condition and surpassing the typical life expectancy for an ALS patient. It’s been 11 years since Goode was diagnosed with the disease, making him among the rare 10% of patients who survive this long. That kind of resilience feels fitting when you look back at who Kerry Goode was long before his health battles became his identity.

Goode was sensational as a rookie RB, bagging the 1983 SEC Freshman of the Year award. He rushed for 693 yards while averaging 6.7 yards per attempt. He’d logged 125 yards on the ground against Auburn, and topped that with 142 against Tennessee. Entering the 1984 season, all eyes were on Kerry Goode.

But in the very first game that season, the downfall of his career began. Goode had already lit up the field with 297 all-purpose yards against Boston College. But in the third quarter, Goode took a nasty blow to his knee, which kept him out of the season. He could play in two games in 1985, as he had once again injured the embattled knee. By this time, RB Bobby Humphrey had replaced him as the lead runner. Though Goode was able to play 10 and 11 games in the 1986 and 1987 seasons, respectively, he was never able to reach his prime.

Kerry Goode was picked up by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the seventh-round of the 1988 draft. He played 14 games for the team that year and was also able to start in five of them. Goode played one more game for Miami in 1989, after which his career came to an end. He was only 24 at that time. Goode had then moved to strength training, holding strength coaching positions with the Giants and Rams.

The Pat Sullivan Award made one key dream of Kerry Goode come true

Goode is often remembered as the icon who never was for Alabama football. His 99-yard kickoff return in that fateful Boston College game spoke of the sheer force housed in those legs. AL.com’s Creg Stephenson wrote that if it wasn’t for the injury, Kerry Goode would probably have been Alabama’s first Heisman winner. Goode’s moment came decades later, when he accepted the Pat Sullivan Award.

“I finally got my Heisman Trophy, and this thing is heavy,” he said in his speech. “It’s not for anything I did on the field — but for being of service to others. And honestly? This one means more.”

Kerry Goode might not have experienced the full scope of his career at Alabama. With Humphrey emerging as the better RB, Goode became the backup. However, he was still a respected figure in the team. Entering his last season with the Tide, Goode didn’t have enough numbers on the board. But the coaches recognized him for his leadership instincts and made him team captain. That earned him a spot at Alabama’s Walk of Fame, which is reserved for team captains.

Kerry Goode’s story is an inspiration for everyone. He wasn’t able to make an impact on the field, but he sure has made a big one in raising awareness and support for ALS. Today, by way of his foundation, his efforts still make a difference in the lives of many others dealing with the incurable disease.