Tom Green is getting a rare second chance in life, something a very handful of people ever experience. At 60 years old, while most people around his age are eyeing retirement or a slower pace of life, the Carroll County cancer survivor has decided to go to college for the first time to compete in the trenches against 19 or 20-year-olds who are less than a third of his age.
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At McDaniel College, Green is part of the Division III football team, known as the Green Terror. Mind you, he even enrolled as a political science major. Every morning, he shows up for spring practice just like the rest of the team. The practices include conditioning, drills, and light contact. Wearing jersey No. 72, Green plays on the defensive line, a physically demanding position. Even though he is much older, the 6’1” and 265-pound linebacker keeps pushing himself to match his teammates move for move and tackle for tackle.
“Last year, I came out, and I got onto the roster. He joined the team as a walk-on, proving that determination can open doors at any age,” 60-year-old student athlete Tom Green said. At McDaniel, the rules are simple—if you are a full-time student and willing to work hard every day, you can be part of the team. Age does not matter as much as effort and commitment.
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By participating in the spring practice season, he is officially on track to become the oldest active college football player in U.S. history, surpassing or tying the previous record held by Tom Thompson, the 61-year-old kicker back around 2009.
“I knew that the number was 61. That’s the oldest player who ever played. I’m going to be 61 in June, so I’m (going to) be tying that record. But he (the record holder) just kicked extra points. He was a kicker,” Green said of his goal.
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The Green Terror head honcho, Skyler Fultz, sees Green as a special example or even inspiration for the rest of the team.
“Someone of that age who wants to get up on a cold morning like today and come out to practice. It shows a lot. Obviously, he’s behind a little bit because he hasn’t played football in so long. Having to go through that, that’s the biggest difference,” the HC said of Green.
The coach admits that Green is still catching up in some areas, but his dedication and attitude stand out vividly.
Green’s life story adds even more meaning to what he is doing now. He is a self-made millionaire who owns a wooden pallet company in Littlestown, Pennsylvania. Despite his success in business, he never had the chance to attend college when he was younger. Now, he is finally experiencing that part of life while also chasing a dream he never gave up on.
Before all this, Green had some football experience, as he played semi-pro in the past. But what makes this story truly unbelievable is that just a few years ago, Tom was fighting for his life.
Back in around 2015, he got hit with a devastating diagnosis of stage-four kidney cancer. It had metastasized to his lungs, skull, ribs, and even near his aorta. Doctors told him to get his affairs in order first of all.
“I was totally sick heading out. I was checking out in 2017,” Tom said.
But judging by the wild spirit of his, Tom is definitely not the one to take “no” for an answer. Word is, he enrolled in a grueling clinical trial at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Despite all the odds and tribulations, the treatment apparently worked. Once he recovered, he regained his strength and also benched 315 pounds. Since he knows that he beat terminal cancer, he definitely doesn’t mind handling a little pancake block or two from a college offensive lineman.
He’s branded his journey “0 to 60 in 6 Decades” on social media to document the physical toll and the triumph of his training. Unlike the previous record holder, who played as a kicker, a position with significantly less physical contact, Tom is playing one of the most violent and exhausting positions on the field. And boy, he’s winning the hearts of his teammates.
Everybody loves Tom
Tom has a habit of spoiling the locker room with gifts. Since he’s already a millionaire and the owner of Northeast Pallet, Tom decided to use his pockets to bless his teammates as they began their post-football lives.
He apparently brought in professional tailors to measure every single senior on the football team for high-end, custom-fitted suits. This also includes the shirts, ties, and some shoes. He wanted to make sure that when these fine young men headed out for their first big job interviews, they looked like they were winners already.
The teammates are loving the absolute heck out of Tom.
“It’s a great experience. I get to learn a lot from him since he’s an older person. I feel like he brings a bunch of energy to the team, and that’s what I love,” teammate Quadeer Smith said.
Another teammate, Jordan Weeden, shared a similar feeling, saying, “I had to get used to it. At first, it was kind of weird at first, but I got used to it because he teaches us lifelong lessons that we can use off the field.” Green, however, says the learning goes both ways, adding with humor, “What they are teaching me is a lot of new words.”
As the 2026 spring season wraps up this week, Tom’s focused on the long game: staying healthy and eligible for the upcoming fall schedule. Tom Green is living proof that it is never too late to reinvent yourself.
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Edited by
Kinjal Talreja