61-YO Cancer Survivor Aspires to Become College Football’s Oldest Player

Tom Green is not easing into retirement or slowing down with age. At 61, he is waking up before sunrise, heading to practice, and lining up against players young enough to be his grandchildren. That alone grabs attention, but his story carries more weight than a headline can hold.

Green is a cancer survivor who nearly lost his life less than a decade ago. In 2015, doctors diagnosed him with Stage IV kidney cancer, and the outlook was grim. He later admitted that by 2017, he felt like he was at the end. Today, he is not just alive, he is chasing one of the toughest goals in college sports.

He enrolled at McDaniel College in Westminster, Maryland, to study political science. At the same time, he joined the football program with a bold plan in mind. He wants to become the oldest player in college football history during the 2026 season. That goal sounds wild, but Green is not treating it like a fantasy.

However, his life does not revolve around football alone. He owns a wooden pallet company in Littlestown, Pennsylvania, and still manages daily business responsibilities. That means his schedule includes early practices, classes, and work, all packed into the same day. It is a heavy load, but he carries it without complaint.

Chasing Records at an Age Few Even Try

Baltimore Times / Alan Moore set the current mark in 2011 when he kicked an extra point at age 61 for Faulkner University. Green is training as a defensive end, one of the most demanding roles on the field.

That position requires strength, speed, and the ability to absorb hits on nearly every play. It is not a symbolic role, and it does not allow for shortcuts.

Another name tied to older college players is Joe Thomas Sr., who played at age 55 for South Carolina State. He carried the ball for three yards in a Division I game, which remains a standout moment. Even so, Green is aiming higher by staying active in a position that demands constant effort.

His jersey number is 72, and he has already joined early morning spring practices with the McDaniel Green Terror. The team competes in the Centennial Conference at the NCAA Division III level, where the game still moves fast and hits still hurt. Green shows up, runs drills, and takes reps like everyone else.

Head coach Skyler Fultz knows the challenge is real. He has said that Green is behind in terms of recent playing experience, which makes sense given the long gap. Still, Fultz points to Green’s consistency and effort as something that stands out every single day.

From Fighting Cancer to Fighting on the Line

E Online / Green’s journey makes more sense when you look at what he has already survived. Stage IV kidney cancer is not something people simply walk away from. It takes everything out of a person, both physically and mentally.

He came out of that battle with a different mindset. Instead of slowing down, he decided to go after something he had always wanted. Football was part of his past, as he once played semi-professional ball, but he never had the chance to play at the college level.

That missed opportunity stayed with him. After beating cancer, he chose not to ignore it anymore. He enrolled in college for the first time and stepped into a locker room filled with players decades younger than him.

Green turns 61 in June 2026, which would allow him to tie the existing record, but his goal is to surpass it by taking the field as a defensive lineman, a feat that has garnered the respect and admiration of his much younger teammates. Defensive linemen like Quadeer Smith and Jordan Weeden have stated that Green teaches them lifelong lessons that they can use off the field and that he brings a great deal of energy to the team.