The 2022 second-round NFL draft selection of the Houston Texans, John Metchie, was plagued by injuries for most of his professional career. With an ACL injury, his ailments first plagued him in college, and they later started to affect his NFL career as well.
He received a cancer diagnosis just as he was ready to begin his professional career at the national level with the Texans. Fortunately, John had the courage to triumph over everything and return to the NFL field with a roaring voice.
What type of cancer was John Metchie suffering from?
Metchie has been diagnosed with leukemia, which is stated to be the most curable form of this cancer, before making a single appearance in a game with the Texans. After being formally added to the list of non-football illnesses, he was forced to sit out his whole rookie season.
He announced the news by admitting his illness in a statement released by the Texans. He thanked the supporters for their support and expressed his wish for a complete comeback after overcoming his leukemia.
“Recently, I was diagnosed with APL (Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia), the most curable form of Leukemia. I am currently receiving great medical care, am in good spirits and I expect to make a recovery at a later point in time. As a result of this diagnosis, I will likely not be playing football this season. My main focus will be on my health and recovery. Thank you in advance for your support and well wishes. I cannot wait to come back stronger than ever. God bless.”
It was difficult for the young star to be afflicted with such awful diseases at such a young age, but the player retained his word by enduring a great recovery.
When is John Metchie expected to make his NFL return?
After receiving his prognosis, the 23-year-old continued to exercise in the team facilities and attended Texans practices. He is now prepared to join Nico Collins, Robert Woods, Noah Brown, Tank Dell, and Xavier Hutchinson in making his NFL debut for the Texans this season.
Although there hasn’t been a set date for his debut, John declared him to be “110 percent” healthy on Thursday and said he was eager to play.
“Yeah, I feel 110 percent, actually. I feel better now than I ever did in college, and I feel better than I was before I got diagnosed, so 110 percent, for sure.”
Although the rookie player made enough progress in his recuperation to take part in minicamp practice in May, he had bad luck when he was cleared to participate in the session. However, describing it as a rollercoaster experience for him, he was thankful for every day since it helped him stay strong mentally to handle the demands of the NFL.
“I feel like I beat the toughest battle, and now living and being me is kinda just to be free and be confident in myself and my body of work and who I am. Of course, there’s a learning curve of learning the plays, getting with the team chemistry and all of that, but as far as comfort in myself and my game, I have that completely.”
The Alabama star’s road to recovery is undoubtedly inspiring for athletes dealing with physical problems. The Texans fans anticipate seeing his level of toughness and dedication on the field as well.
