An optimistic-sounding Randy Moss said Friday that he was diagnosed with cancer, has had surgery and will now undergo treatment. Plus: ESPN’s Dick Vitale says he is now cancer free; plus more sports media news.
Moss reveals cancer diagnosis, will undergo treatment
ESPN NFL analyst Randy Moss said in a social media video Friday that recently underwent surgery for cancer and will undergo chemotherapy. Moss, who has taken a leave of absence from ESPN, said on-air two weeks ago that he was battling a health issue, but had not previously been specific.
In his announcement, Moss described himself as a “cancer survivor” and said he had just gotten out of the hospital after a six-day stay. He said he is nursing himself back to health and despite his upcoming treatment is feeling good.
Moss said that the visible symptoms associated with his liver — which were apparent to viewers when he was on television — helped in catching the cancer, which was adjacent to his bile duct (located between the pancreas and liver).
He gave thanks to his ESPN colleagues and said that he plans to return to the network as soon as he is healthy. One of the best-known wide receivers in NFL history, Moss worked for Fox Sports briefly before joining ESPN in 2016.
Vitale says he is cancer free
ESPN college basketball analyst Dick Vitale said Thursday that he has tested free of cancer, less than six months after being diagnosed with cancer of the lymph nodes. This latest battle with cancer was his fourth in just three years, having previously battled lymphoma, melanoma and vocal cord cancer.
The 85-year-old Vitale, a supporter of cancer research long before he was ever diagnosed, has missed most of the past several college basketball seasons due to his health issues.
Plus: SI Stadium, NFL in Berlin, World Cup hosts
— The Major League Soccer stadium in New Jersey has been renamed “Sports Illustrated Stadium” under a naming rights deal with Sports Illustrated Tickets, it was announced this week. Since SI was acquired by Authentic Brands Group in 2019, its brand has been placed on any number of products and services that would not have seemed likely during the heyday of the magazine.
— The NFL announced this week that it will hold games in Berlin for the first time next season, expanding its presence in Germany beyond the previous host cities of Munich and Frankfurt. The NFL is set to schedule as many as eight international series games next season, with Berlin joining previously set games in London and Madrid.
— FIFA this week awarded the 2034 men’s World Cup to Saudi Arabia, marking just the latest controversial nation to host the quadrennial event, following Qatar in 2022 and Russia four years earlier. The body also announced that the combination of Spain, Portugal and Morocco will host in 2030, with Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay also getting one match each that year.
