NFL tight end Foster Moreau announced he has been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma as he underwent a physical with the New Orleans Saints.
Moreau is a free agent after playing for the last four seasons for the Las Vegas Raiders after the franchise selected him in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. In 2022, he set career highs with 33 catches for 420 yards and two touchdown receptions.
After the free agency period started, Moreau visited the Saints as well as the Cincinnati Bengals in recent weeks. He was looking to sign with the NFC South franchise only for their medical team to incredibly discover the issue.
Moreau took to social media to relay the news, writing: “Through somewhat of a miraculous process, this Free Agency period has been life changing for me. During a routine physical conducted by the Saints medical team down in New Orleans, I’ve come to learn that I have Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and will be stepping away from football at this time to fight a new opponent: Cancer.
“I’m grateful for the support and thankful for the people who have stood firm with me. There hasn’t been a single step I’ve taken without hundreds of people lighting the path before me and I will continue to seek their guidance.”
He added: “That being said, I’ll go kick this thing’s ass and get back to doing what I love!”
The announcement was met with an overwhelmingly positive response, with Moreau’s former team the Raiders tweeting: “Your Raider family is with you, Foster.”
Former Las Vegas quarterback - and current Saints signal-caller - Derek Carr also tweeted his support, writing: “Love you and we are here for you… praying for you brother!”
It is the second time in recent years that the Saints medical team have detected a serious disease during a standard physical. Dr. John Amoss, the Saints' team physician, helped make the diagnosis and he did so back in 2017 when long-snapper Jon Dorenbos discovered he had an aortic aneurysm that required open-heart surgery as he took his physical with New Orleans.
Dorenbos was diagnosed after undergoing a physical by the Saints' medical team as part of a proposed trade to send him to New Orleans. He had surgery a few weeks later and retired from the NFL.
Moreau started 14 games last season and 25 across the last two seasons. The tight end has 91 career receptions for 1,107 yards and 12 TDs.
Formerly known as Hodgkin's disease, Hodgkin lymphoma is a form of cancer that begins in the white blood cells and affects the lymphatic system, part of the body's immune system. It is the less common of two general types of lymphoma, with the more common category being non-Hodgkin.
