36 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {punchline} types of manual therapists. Plus, throw in an on-call ophthalmologist, dentist and radiologist on game days. “It really does take a village,” confirms Tim. Before plying his trade with professional athletes, Tim aided Stanford University’s football, basketball and soccer teams. His team player attitude and initiative didn’t go unnoticed. After only seven years at Stanford, Tim was recruited to work not only with the 49ers, but also as a team physician for the SF Giants and Golden State Warriors. When the balancing act became too much, he decided to concentrate on the 49ers. “I went into it with a little bit of trepidation,” Tim admits of the transition. Would he be subjected to financial or other stressors when determining whether players should rejoin the fray? “It couldn’t be further from the truth!” he asserts. “I can honestly say I’ve never been pressured to put someone back in the game for any reason. All of the decisions on my medical care have been mine. I wouldn’t practice any other way.” Expanding on the topic, he adds, “All of these athletes, they want to perform, yes, but they also care about their future, and so to gain their trust, they really have to know that I’m invested in their long-term health and not just how they perform at next weekend’s game.” An athlete himself, Tim played soccer and tennis during his time attending Bellarmine College Prep. “I’m still playing in what I call ‘the old man soccer leagues,’” he chuckles. “I think an important part of longevity is to stay active.” He also plays golf and enjoys watching his own kids take the field. “Now that I’m slowing down, I get to watch them and remember the old days.” There’s something fatherly in the way Tim frets over postinjury 49ers returning to play. “It should be very rewarding, and at some level it is, but all I do is worry about it,” he admits. “It’s just like any parent who has a kid who comes back from an injury: always concerned that something could happen again.” When a player does get hurt on the turf, Tim is ready on the sidelines to whisk him away to a private tent. After performing an exam and reviewing their sports injury history, Tim also scrutinizes the moment of injury on the video replay system, watching the acPHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY OF SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
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