The Second Chance Playbook: Athletes Confront Hard Truths ft. Tim Green and Mike Flynt

*This episode mentions suicide and may be triggering for some listeners.

This week, in celebration of Super Bowl Sunday, we’ll hear from Tim Green, a former NFL player, bestselling author, and commentator. Tim, who now speaks with the assistance of technology due to a diagnosis of ALS, reflects on a life marked by ambition, the identity-shaking diagnosis of this neurodegenerative disease, and the perspective that transformed his understanding of what matters most in life.

Later in the episode, we’ll hear from Mike Flynt, whose story inspired the 2023 sports drama film The Senior. One day when talking with his friends, Mike shared one of his deepest regrets—getting kicked off the college football team as a senior. When asked, “Why don’t you do something about it?” Mike decided to pursue a second chance, and became the oldest linebacker of a college football team in NCAA history at age fifty-nine, proving that it’s never too late to chase your dreams.

Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned:

Jesus Calling Podcast

Jesus Calling

Jesus Always

Jesus Listens

Past interview: Rosie Rivera

Upcoming interview: Stephen McWhirter

www.authortimgreen.com

Interview Quotes:

“These days, the most important thing I do is simply try to serve the people I love. My life’s work now is about family, about helping others, and about using whatever time and gifts God has given me to make a difference.” - Tim Green

“God had other plans—plans that were bigger than anything I could have imagined. Looking back, every step prepared me for the next one. He was weaving the story long before I knew it.”- Tim Green

“What really matters is your faith, family, and identity in Christ—not in a jersey or a job. Football gave me a platform, but it’s faith and family that gave me a purpose.” - Tim Green

“My diagnosis forced me to confront what really matters—to put Christ at the center, not tucked quietly in the background. It made every day, every relationship, every breath more precious and more purposeful.” - Tim Green

“One morning, I woke up with a clarity I didn’t create that this wasn’t the end of my story. I realized that God had left me here for a reason. Maybe to show that even in suffering, His goodness can still shine. That moment was a second chance, and I wasn’t going to waste it.” - Tim Green

“Prayer became less about asking and more about resting. Peace came in small moments—a hand held, a smile, a sunset—reminders that God was still here.” - Tim Green

“Every chapter of my life has required a deeper anchor than achievement. When the applause stops, when the career ends, when the body fails, you need a foundation that won’t.” - Tim Green

“It was my profession of faith in Christ, and my realization that I know so little about Him, that started me on my journey in faith that I still pursue today.” - Mike Flynt

“So many people need to know that somebody else has overcome and that Christ was there and they can take that same concern, those same weaknesses, to Him and know that if He did it for Mike, He’d do it for anybody.” - Mike Flynt

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Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel!

Audio Episodes: https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7

Bonus Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw

Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer: https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C

Peace for Everyday Life: https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj

Peace in Uncertain Times: https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u

What’s Good? https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj

Enneagram: https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY

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