New Orleans has a weird relationship with its heroes. Most cities build statues for people who have been dead for a hundred years, but if you walk outside the Caesars Superdome, you’ll see a bronze man diving through the air to block a ball. That man is Steve Gleason.
Most people know the highlight. It was 2006. The Saints were back in the Dome for the first time after Hurricane Katrina, and Gleason’s blocked punt basically told the world that the city wasn't going to roll over and die. But today, if you search for the saints player with als, you aren't looking for a football highlight. You’re looking for the man who has spent the last 15 years proving that a "terminal" diagnosis is really just a starting gun for a different kind of life.
The Diagnosis That Changed Everything
It happened in 2011. Steve had been retired for a few years and was starting to feel "twitchy" in his muscles. When the doctors finally said the words "Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis," the average life expectancy they gave him was two to three years.
He didn't listen.
Honestly, the "No White Flags" mantra that everyone associates with Team Gleason isn't just a catchy marketing slogan. It started as a literal refusal to accept the standard medical trajectory of the disease. ALS is brutal. It’s a neurodegenerative condition that systematically shuts down the body’s ability to move, speak, and eventually breathe, all while keeping the mind perfectly intact. Steve calls it a "fragile existence," and he isn't lying.
Why the 2006 Blocked Punt Still Matters
It’s easy to think the football stuff is irrelevant now that he’s in a wheelchair, but Steve disagrees. He recently admitted that if he hadn't blocked that punt, he might not even be alive today. Why? Because that single play gave him a platform and a community that refused to let him fade away. In New Orleans, Steve isn't just a patient; he’s a legend. That support system is a huge part of why he has survived more than a decade past his "expiration date."
What Most People Miss About the "Saints Player with ALS"
There’s a misconception that Steve is just a "symbol of hope" who sits in the background of Saints games. That couldn't be further from the truth. The guy is an absolute powerhouse of policy and technology.
- The Steve Gleason Act: He didn't just ask for help; he went to D.C. He got Congress to pass a law in 2015 that forces Medicare to cover eye-tracking communication devices. Before this, people were literally losing their voices because they couldn't afford the tech to speak.
- Pushing Big Tech: He famously challenged Microsoft during a hackathon to help him drive his wheelchair with his eyes. They did it. Now, that technology exists for other people because a former special teams player wouldn't take "no" for an answer.
- Answer ALS: He helped launch a massive research initiative that has gathered trillions of data points. We’re talking about the largest ALS research project in history.
Living a "Life Impossible" in 2026
Fast forward to right now. Steve is 48 years old. In 2024, he released a memoir titled A Life Impossible. He wrote the entire thing with his eyes. Think about that for a second. Every single letter, every comma, every gut-wrenching story about his kids—Rivers and Gray—was typed out one eye-blink at a time.
It’s not a "feel-good" book. It’s raw. He talks about the anger, the frustration of his wife Michel, and the times he felt like death might be better than the struggle. It’s that honesty that makes him so different from the polished, "inspiring" figures we usually see in sports media.
The ESPY Award and the Congressional Gold Medal
You might have seen him at the 2024 ESPYS receiving the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage. Or maybe you remember when he got the Congressional Gold Medal back in 2020. These aren't just participation trophies. They are acknowledgments that what he's doing—surviving and thriving with a disease that usually kills in 36 months—is statistically and humanly incredible.
The Connection with Tim Shaw
Steve isn't the only one in this fight. If you’ve been following the Saints lately, you probably saw him on the field with Tim Shaw, the former Tennessee Titans linebacker who was diagnosed in 2014. They’ve become a sort of duo in the NFL world, showing up as honorary captains and reminding people that this disease hits the strongest athletes just as hard as anyone else. They’ve launched campaigns together, like the "Punt for ALS," proving that the "Saints player with als" isn't a solitary figure—he’s part of a growing brotherhood of advocates.
Actionable Steps for Supporting the Cause
If you’re reading this because you care about the saints player with als, don’t just read and click away. There are real ways to help the community Steve has built:
- Check out Team Gleason: They don't just fund research; they provide "now needs." This means getting wheelchairs, voice-banking technology, and home ramps to families who are drowning in the costs of ALS.
- Read "A Life Impossible": If you want to understand the actual reality of living with this, buy the book. It’s the best way to support his message and gain a perspective on resilience that you won't find anywhere else.
- Support Local ALS Chapters: Most states have their own ALS Association branches that need volunteers for walks and fundraisers.
- Advocate for Tech Access: Follow Team Gleason's policy updates. They are constantly fighting for better insurance coverage for the assistive technology that Steve uses to stay connected to the world.
Steve often says that his body is a prison but his mind is free. He’s spent fourteen years proving that the human spirit doesn't need working muscles to change the world. He isn't just a football player anymore. He's a scientist, an author, a father, and the man who refused to put up a white flag when the rest of the world told him it was time.
Key Takeaways for 2026
- Legacy: Steve Gleason’s impact goes far beyond the 2006 blocked punt; he has fundamentally changed how the U.S. government handles ALS technology.
- Resilience: Surviving 15 years with ALS is a medical anomaly that Steve attributes to a mix of technology, community, and mindset.
- Vulnerability: His 2024 memoir is a must-read for anyone looking for the "unvarnished truth" rather than a sanitized version of his story.
- Community: The NFL continues to support both Gleason and Tim Shaw, keeping the spotlight on the need for a cure.
What you can do next: Visit the Team Gleason website to see how their "Punt for ALS" campaign is performing this season and find out how you can volunteer for their upcoming 2026 events in New Orleans.