Tom Green Enters Second Week of Fall Training at 61 With College Football History Within Reach

McDaniel College football player and cancer survivor prepares for 2026 season after a spring that drew national attention

WESTMINSTER, PA, UNITED STATES, August 15, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- One week into fall training, Tom Green is doing what he set out to do when he returned to the McDaniel College football field this year. He is working for a chance to play.

At 61, Green is preparing for the 2026 season as a defensive lineman for McDaniel's Green Terror football team, training alongside teammates decades younger than him as the team works toward its Sept. 4 season opener against Catholic University.

The difference between this fall and last spring is significant.

Green is no longer simply returning to the field to see if he can keep up. He is now preparing for the possibility of earning a spot on the field during a game. That possibility could put Green in position to challenge the age record for an NCAA college football player.

For Green, however, the focus remains on football.

"I know what the story is, and I know people are interested in my age," Green said. "But once practice starts, I'm just another player trying to get better, do my job and earn the chance to play."

The first week of fall training has given Green another opportunity to demonstrate that he intends to be treated like a football player, not a novelty. He is conditioning, practicing and competing for a place on a college roster while balancing the demands of operating Northeast Pallet, LLC and being a full-time McDaniel student.

Green attracted national attention earlier this year after returning to college football at age 60. His journey was featured by outlets including Fox News and PEOPLE and has been followed on social media through #tomgreen0to60in6decades.

For Green, the road to McDaniel has been decades in the making. He went directly into the workforce after high school, building a career, raising his family and eventually becoming president of Northeast Pallet, LLC in Littlestown, Pennsylvania. Then, in 2015, he was diagnosed with Stage IV kidney cancer.
Surviving cancer gave Green a new perspective on the goals he had put on hold. He returned to school, enrolled at McDaniel College and pursued the opportunity to play football. What began as a long-deferred dream became reality when he joined the Green Terror football program at age 60. Now 61, he is back on the field preparing for another season which can potentially make history.

The McDaniel Green Terror open the 2026 season Sept. 4 against Catholic University.

Follow Tom Green's Journey
Green's ongoing journey is documented on social media through #tomgreen0to60in6decades.

About Tom Green
Tom Green is President of Northeast Pallet, LLC, a cancer survivor, McDaniel College student and member of the Green Terror football team. His journey from surviving Stage IV kidney cancer to returning to college and pursuing football at an age when most players have long since retired has generated extensive national media attention. His ongoing journey is documented through #tomgreen0to60in6decades.

Tiffany Sondergaard
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