‘Coach’ Star Craig T. Nelson Is Heading Back to the Football Field

After 50 years in show business, Emmy-winner Craig T. Nelson, 80, still appreciates his fans. Each week, he says he personally autographs photos and answers the 50-some pieces of mail that find their way to him. “People want to know, ‘What am I doing?’ ‘Am I OK?’ ” Nelson says. The actor, known for his roles on the popular TV series Coach and Parenthood, will reprise his Young Sheldon character, Dale Ballard, in the new spinoff Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, premiering Oct. 17 on CBS. And he hopes his eight grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren will enjoy hearing him voice a corgi on the Disney cartoon Pupstruction (Season 2 premieres Oct. 15). Nelson tells AARP why his life is busier than ever, how he spent his 80th birthday and why fans will be seeing him take to the field at an upcoming NFL game.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

How are you feeling about reprising your Young Sheldon character in the show’s spinoff series?

I love working with Annie Potts [Nelson plays her character’s love interest], and being asked to come back is neat. I’m looking forward to going back to doing a live audience filming. I haven’t done that, I don’t think, since Coach.

Nelson will reprise his "Young Sheldon" character in the new CBS spinoff "Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage," premiering Oct. 17. His character, Dale Ballard, is the love interest of costar Annie Potts, who plays Connie "Meemaw" Tucker on the show.

Sonja Flemming/Getty Images

What do you enjoy about having a live audience?

I enjoy meeting the people afterward. It’s fun to talk to them, see what’s going on, and see who’s coming to these things.

I still recommend Parenthood to people looking to binge a great series. Do you have a favorite series you did?

Oh man, no, not really. There’ve been different shows I’ve really liked, different aspects of them. I’ve kind of grown up doing this, so I look at it as kind of a journey of my own growth. And also how fortunate I’ve been to be a part of so many different things. Parenthood was very special to me also. It was an amazing group of people.

Nelson, seen here with costars Bonnie Bedelia and Miles Heizer, starred as Zeek Braverman on the NBC drama "Parenthood," which ran for six seasons starting in 2010.

Ben Cohen/Getty Images

How are you spending your days when you’re not working?

It seems busier now than I’ve ever been. I don’t know why that is, except I am writing a book. I’ve been writing a book for about two years now. And finding time to do that is pretty difficult. It’s historical fiction. I don’t want to say too much because I’m very closed about revealing it.

You were the commencement speaker at the University of Arizona in May. What message did you want to resonate with the graduates? [Nelson attended the school but left for Hollywood before graduating. He was awarded an honorary doctorate of fine arts at the ceremony.]

Do for one what you would do for many.… To have a relationship with one person that perhaps you can be of help [to], or you can instruct, or you can change a course of direction — and see what we can build rather than the infrastructure that’s around us, which seems to be caught up in some kind of madness.