Bill O'Brien issues statement of support for John Metchie III following leukemia announcement

Bill O’Brien only coached John Metchie III for one season, but it’s evident the former Alabama star wide receiver made an immense impact on the Crimson Tide offensive coordinator.

While O’Brien’s heart broke when Metchie tore his ACL during last season’s SEC Championship, a whole different level of hurt took place when news broke that the now-Houston Texans wide receiver is dealing with a leukemia diagnosis. Speaking with the media, O’Brien shared a statement of support for his former pass catcher.

“On a side note, but a very important note, I just want to talk about John Metchie real quick,” stated O’Brien. “John Metchie is a very special guy in this program. Coach Saban, myself, Coach [Holmon] Wiggins, we’ve all heard and reach out to John and we’ve heard from John.

“John is a very positive guy, and our thoughts and prayers are with John as he deals with what he’s dealing with. Great football player, but an even better person.”

While John Metchie III will miss his rookie season in the NFL, he’s taught the football world that he’s a force to be reckoned with. Bill O’Brien and company know the former Alabama star will be back and better than ever, and will be cheering him on when the time comes.

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Moreover, In the 2022 SEC Championship Game, Metchie went down with a torn ACL that forced him to miss the rest of the postseason. That didn’t stop him from being drafted though, as the Texans selected him with the No. 44 overall pick. He has been working his way back to full health, although the Texans expected his knee to be healthy enough to play at some point this season.

In 2020, Metchie first broke out as a sophomore at Alabama. He hauled in 55 receptions for 916 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 16.7 yards per catch. In 2021, though, he became even more of a consistent weapon on the outside in Alabama’s offense. In his final collegiate season, he hauled in an impressive 96 catches for 1,142 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 11.9 yards per reception.

Metchie was expected to slide into a prominent role right away with the Texans, as Houston lacks playmakers at receiver behind top option Brandin Cooks. Now, though, he will turn his focus on his recovery and health, and he will hope to come back even stronger once he is able to fight through this diagnosis.