HOUSTON, TX – DECEMBER 25: Houston Texans safety Andre Hal (29) carries the ball during the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans on December 25, 2017 at NRG Stadium at Houston, Texas. (Photo by Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Houston Texans free safety Andre Hal has been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and will undergo treatment immediately.
Houston Texans starting free safety Andre Hal is facing the biggest battle of his life. On Friday, the 26-year-old announced that he has been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. This is the same cancer that New York Giants general manager David Gettleman announced that he also has.
According to NBC Sports, Hal received the initial diagnosis from team doctors at the Texans’ facility. He’ll undergo further evaluation at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston while he fights against the disease.
Hal was slated to be a starter across from Tyrann Mathieu in the back end of the secondary, after the Honey Badger was signed on a one-year, $8 million deal. The duo would have been one of the league’s best, but that goes on the back burner while Hal works his way back to full health. At this time, it’s unknown what the timeline of his treatment will be.
The Texans have dealt with a similar situation before in offensive lineman David Quesenberry, who was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2014. Thankfully, Quesenberry was able to return to a normal life before stepping back on the football field last season.
Hodgkin’s lymphoma is the same form of cancer that Kansas City Chiefs Pro Bowl safety Eric Berry was diagnosed with in Dec. 2014. Berry was cleared to return to football activities in July of the following year and didn’t miss a single game that season, earning All-Pro honors. Berry has remained cancer-free since that time.