LOOK: Jay Bilas sends message to John Metchie III following leukemia diagnosis
ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas sent out a message to former Alabama wideout John Metchie on Sunday night, following the news of his APL (Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia) diagnosis.
“All the best to John Metchie III in this fight,” Bilas wrote.
The former Duke standout serves on the National Board of the Coaches vs. Cancer Organization and the Board of Advisors of the Duke Brain Tumor Center.
The Houston Texans drafted John Metchie with the No. 44 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft just a few months ago. With his health moves to the forefront of his mind, the former Tide star is potentially going to miss his rookie season.
Metchie described his APL as the “most curable form” of the disease and he says he is in good spirits.
In 2021, his final collegiate season, Metchie hauled in 96 catches for 1,142 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 11.9 yards per reception. He suffered an ACL tear in the 2021 National Championship game.
Texans make roster move with John Metchie III
As a result of John Metchie’s diagnosis, there is not a specific timeline for his return to football. The Texans opted to place him on the active/non-football illness list following his announcement.
The move will allow them to proceed without Metchie on the field, but also opens the door for a return by the rookie if he recovers quick enough to see action this season.
The move by the Texans to place him on their active-NFI list is simply a best-practice decision for the team. It allows them to leave the door open for Metchie to return to the field this season. Players on the active/NFI list count towards the roster limits prior to the regular season, and if they are still on the list by the final round of roster cuts they can be placed on the reserve/NFI list — allowing them to be on the team but not count towards the 53-man roster limit.
From there, Metchie will be ineligible for practice for the first six weeks of the regular season. After the six-week period, he could begin practicing with the team as soon as he is ready, but cannot be activated until after the eighth game of the season.
On3’s Austin Brezina contributed to this report.