The NFL career Tim Hiller planned on after setting records as Western Michigan University’s quarterback never took off. He writes about changing plans, life and faith in his book Strive, Life is Short. Pursue What Matters.
Correction: The article has been updated to correct the date of Hiller's book signing at Michigan News Agency (see below)
Hiller set records for yards, completions and touchdown passes between 2005 and 2009 at Western. He began writing after his release from the Indianapolis Colts in 2010. Hiller says the pastor that married him and his wife Michelle told him he should write about that experience. Hiller says positive feedback about those writings led to a blog about service and meeting the needs in community. At a leadership summit in Kalamazoo in 2012, Hiller met best-selling business author Adrian Gostick. He urged Hiller to get his writing published.
Strive is full of stories about Hiller’s experience on and off the football field and how those relate to life in general. He begins the book with a story about Indianapolis Colts’ rookie camp when he sat in Peyton Manning’s seat, then in the place where the legendary quarterback put up his feet. Hiller says being advised to move, and finding himself in the back of the room is an example of how life is “a journey of rising up and then being humbled again.”
Hiller says his identity was wrapped up in football. In fact shortly after being released, he was at the kindergarten class where his wife was teaching. Hiller says he was asked by one of the young students “what do you do?” Since he was still looking for his next NFL opportunity, Hiller says he wasn’t sure. After a successful career at Western Michigan University, Hiller believed that he would be in the NFL for at least a few years. “And that wasn’t God’s plan.”
Faith is an important part of Hiller’s life, but he says he didn’t really know what it meant to be a Christian until he came to Kalamazoo. When coming back from an injury, Hiller says he had to ask himself if his faith was real, and decided it was.
When he was released by the Indianapolis Colts, Hiller acknowledges that he questioned his faith. He describes a difficult time late in the 2010 season. Hiller was still trying to catch on with another team. “It would have been so much easier if someone would said ‘you’re just not good enough.’” Hiller says instead teams would say they liked him as a quarterback, but didn’t have the numbers or needed to fill another position. He says it’s important to have perspective that “God had bigger and better plans.”
On other football-related issues, Hiller says he’s thankful that he got through high school and college football with only one concussion. Hiller, who has done some coaching at the high school level, says the protocols have improved for clearing players before they return to the field after a concussion. Hiller says he doesn’t like to see players and parents get scared off from playing football. He says players should play flag football until they’ve mastered the basics before going on to tackle football.
Hiller says he hopes to write more, and “pay it forward” with stories about helping others. Hillerwill sign copies of Strive at the Michigan News Agency on November 17th from 6:00 until 8:00p.m. He will also sign copies of his book at the Barnes and Noble on Westnedge Avenue in Portage from 1:00 until 3:00p.m. on Saturday November 14th.
