ARLINGTON, TEXAS – JANUARY 01: Wide receiver John Metchie III #8 of the Alabama Crimson Tide carries the football behind wide receiver DeVonta Smith #6 against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the 2021 College Football Playoff Semifinal Game at the Rose Bowl Game presented by Capital One at AT&T Stadium on January 01, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
John Metchie surprised Houston Texans teammates by showing up to Tuesday’s practice.
The rookie visited the team for the first time since getting diagnosed with Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia last month.
Brett Coomer of the Houston Chronicle captured photos of his appearance, which Chronicle writers Brooks Kubena and Jonathan Alexander shared on Twitter. The Texans also posted scenes from Metchie’s visit.
Although he won’t play this season, fans were touched to see Metchie seemingly in good spirits and interacting with teammates.
Players were glad to see Metchie, this year’s No. 44 overall pick out of Alabama.
“I can’t even imagine what he’s going through,” linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill told Kubena. “To see him out and see him doing so well is amazing. Such a blessing.”
The Texans placed Metchie on the reserve/non-football illness list Tuesday, but they’re making sure to keep him connected to the team as he fights his cancer diagnosis.
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