Saints and Titans name Steve Gleason and Tim Shaw honorary team captains for Week 1

Both players are battling Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

The New Orleans Saints and Tennessee Titans announced on Friday that both former Saints safety Steve Gleason and former Titans linebacker Tim Shaw serve as honorary team captains prior to the start of the season opener on Sunday in Caesars Superdome.

Both Gleason and Shaw are battling Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.

A statement released by the Saints said, “With both Gleason and Shaw continuing to live with ALS, bringing inspiration to others as well as awareness to the disease with no cure, the hope is for Sunday’s display of unity to bring support for those living with this disease and to encourage the continuing research needed in pursuit of a cure.”

Gleason will represent the Saints at the coin toss alongside the team’s 2023 captains: Derek Carr, Erik McCoy, Demario Davis, Cameron Jordan, J.T. Gray, Tyrann Mathieu and Zach Wood.

Shaw will represent the Titans alongside their team’s 2023 captains: Ryan Tannehill, Derrick Henry, Aaron Brewer, Jeffrey Simmons, Kevin Byard, Azeez Al-Shaair and Morgan Cox.

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