Houston Texans rookie receiver John Metchie announced he has a type of Leukemia and may miss the entire 2022 season.
“Recently I was diagnosed with APL (Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia), the most curable of Leukemia,” Metchie said via a statement from the Texans. “I am currently receiving great medical care, am in good spirts 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 healthy and recovery. Thank you in advance for your support and well-wishes. I cannot wait to come back stronger than ever. God bless.”
An update from John Metchie lll pic.twitter.com/EH6OupXK42
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) July 24, 2022
According to WebMD, Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia is a cancer of the white blood cells.
The most recent Texans player to have cancer was safety Andre Hal, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma in June 2018. Although Hal had a different type of cancer than Metchie, he was able to recover during training camp and preseason and ultimately returned to the field the very same year he was diagnosed with cancer.
Guard David Quessenberry’s career was nearly derailed early on with a Lymphoma diagnosis in 2014. The 2013 sixth-rounder from San Jose State missed 2014-16, but managed to make the team’s practice squad in 2017 with his NFL debut in Week 16 that year. Quessenberry played with the Tennessee Titans from 2018-21 and is now with the Buffalo Bills.
The second-round pick from Alabama was rehabilitating from a torn ACL sustained in December during last season’s SEC Championship Game against Alabama.
Offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton told reporters on June 15 during mandatory minicamp that Metchie’s best asset on the field is his work after the catch.
“He can create his own yards once he gets the ball in his hands,” Hamilton said. “He has good short-area quickness, which will allow him to beat man coverage, and that’s what you got to do in the National Football League.”
