The Houston Texans were ecstatic to find former Alabama wide receiver John Metchie III still available with the 44th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. They quickly used their second-round selection to add the talented wideout to their roster, giving second-year pro Davis Mills another weapon.
There was some uncertainty surrounding Metchie’s medical situation, as the 22-year-old suffered a torn ACL in December, leaving him with a questionable timetable to return. Yet, now what seemed like a minor issue won’t be a factor at all in 2022 for Metchie.
Unfortunately the rookie may not get to take the field at all for the Texans this season, as he shared a medical update on Sunday morning, but it’s not due to his leg.
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John Metchie’s season hangs in the balance
Metchie has been diagnosed with APL (Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia), which he states is the “most curable form of leukemia”. He expects to make a full recovery, but he also says he “will likely not be playing football this season”.
Obviously this is a tough development for Metchie as he tries to get his NFL career underway. It was just over a week ago when Texans head coach Lovie Smith declared Metchie to be “close to returning” from his ACL injury, but this is a different animal.
Those hoping to see Metchie’s electric speed on the field this season will have to wait even longer than the initial expectation. But his biggest battle will be finding a way to beat his leukemia diagnosis. We’re definitely rooting for the young man to win this war. Hopefully Metchie’s next update will be a positive one.
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