Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Jesse Williams has been diagnosed with papillary Type 2 cancer, according to a statement released by the team. According to the team, Williams will undergo kidney surgery to treat the disease.
Seahawks’ Jesse Williams diagnosed with papillary cancer
Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images
Drafted in 2013, Williams missed the entirety of his rookie season due to a knee injury suffered late in the preseason. He also missed all of the following year with a second, separate knee injury. It isn’t clear how serious Williams’ cancer prognosis is, but the defensive tackle said returning to football is still a goal.
“Although disappointing, I am a fighter and will handle this,” Williams said in a statement. “I am going to focus on my health and fighting this battle with a return to football as my ultimate goal.”
Williams played the final two years of his college career at the University of Alabama, winning back-to-back national championships during that time. He also won a Super Bowl as a member of the 2013 Seahawks, becoming the first indigenous Australian to accomplish that feat.
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