The Houston Texans received some very tough news this week, as veteran safety Andre Hal revealed he has been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
In a press release issued by the team on Friday, Hal vowed to beat the diagnosis and said he will lean on his friends, family and teammates for strength.
“My faith in God and the support from my family, friends, teammates and coaches will see me through this difficult time,” Hal said. “I will not let this diagnosis stop me from fulfilling my dreams and I do not want anyone to feel sorry for me. I know how to beat this and I will beat it.”
Texans head coach Bill O’Brien also released a statement of support for the 26-year-old.
“The news of Andre Hal’s diagnosis weighs heavy on the hearts of everyone in the Houston Texans family,” O’Brien said. “Andre epitomizes what it means to be a Houston Texan through his leadership, community involvement and team-first attitude. We are confident that Andre’s resiliency and infectious positivity, along with treatment and care from the best medical community in the world, will guide him through his recovery. The entire Texans organization is behind Andre and his family during this difficult time and we look forward to his eventual return to the team.”
This has been a difficult week in the NFL, as New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman also announced that he has been diagnosed with lymphoma.
Hal has appeared in all but three games during his four-year NFL career and started all 16 games for the Texans last season. Here’s hoping the former Vanderbilt star is able to make a full recovery and get back to playing football as soon as possible.
