Last July, Houston Texans wide receiver John Metchie was diagnosed with leukemia, which subsequently caused him to miss what would’ve been his rookie season.
After a year of treatment, and trying to get himself back into form, the former Alabama Crimson Tide star has been cleared for training camp.
How Hard Can Metchie Go?
While the team is excited to have Metchie back, they’re also taking it day by day as they access his potential workload.
On Wednesday, Texans GM Nick Caserio opened up on the team’s approach with the 2022 second-round selection.
“He’s cleared, he’s ready to practice. So we’re gonna take it one day at a time. I’m sure he’s anxious and excited just to be on the field. I don’t think anybody ready for Week 1. So hopefully we’ve just got to get through today and training camp and ready to go.”
Coaches And Teammates Are Also Excited To Meech Back On The Gridiron
Metchie’s return is bigger than football. He just fought for his life and won. The NFL is a brotherhood, and it’s highly plausible that coaches and teammates feel as if they went through it with him.
First-year head coach DeMeco Ryans told reporters this after Wednesday’s first practice:
“Having Metchie out was awesome to see. Seeing a guy who’s been through so bad and just a credit to him and his work that he’s puts in. It’s just a credit to his work ethic and how relentless he’s been in this process. With no cameras on him, he’s been putting in the work, and it’s encouraging to see. I’m happy to have him out.”
Ryans is hoping to turn around a Texans franchise that is now being led by its fourth coach in the past four seasons. Safety Jimmie Ward came over via free agency after spending his entire nine-year career in San Francisco. The veteran spoke on behalf of the locker room.
“I’m happy for him, and I’m happy to see him out there,” Ward said. “He’s a stud. Y’all seen him at Alabama. I was waiting to see him now, and now that I saw him move, I see why he was so highly drafted.”
Metchie Will Help Rookie C.J. Stroud
With rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud expected to get the nod under center, Metchie’s ability to get open in between the hash marks could be huge for Stroud’s development in year one. The sure-handed Meech isn’t a one-trick-pony, as evinced by his final season at Alabama, where he often took the top off defenses with a whopping 96 receptions for 1,142 yards and eight touchdowns.
