NFL tight end Foster Moreau stepping away after Hodgkin’s lymphoma diagnosis

Free agent tight end Foster Moreau said on Wednesday that he has been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphona.

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Moreau, 25, a New Orleans native who recently had a physical with the Saints, made the announcement in a tweet and said he would be stepping away from football.

“Through somewhat of a miraculous process, this Free Agency period has been life-changing for me,” Moreau tweeted. “During a routine physical conducted by the Saint’s medical team down in New Orleans, I’ve come to learn that I have Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and will be stepping away from football at this time to fight a new opponent: Cancer.”

The former LSU star, who spent his first four NFL seasons with the Raiders after being selected in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL draft, visited the Saints last weekend, NOLA.com reported. He also visited with the Cincinnati Bengals, ESPN reported.

John Amoss, one of the Saints’ team physicians, made the discovery during Moreau’s physical, according to NOLA.com. Amoss is the same doctor who discovered that former NFL long snapper Jon Dorenbos had an aortic aneurysm that required open-heart surgery in 2017, according to the website.

According to the American Cancer Society, the five-year “relative survival rate for all patients diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma is now about 89%,” NFL.com reported.

Moreau caught 91 passes for 1,107 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Raiders, according to Pro-Football-Reference.com. In 2022 he had career highs of 33 catches and 420 yards.

According to the Mayo Clinic, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, formerly known as Hodgkin’s disease, begins in the white blood cells and affects the lymphatic system, which is part of the body’s immune system. It is the less common of two general types of lymphoma, with the more common category being non-Hodgkin.

Quarterback David Carr, who was Moreau’s teammate with the Raiders and is now with the Saints, tweeted encouragement.

“Love you and we are here for you ... praying for you brother!” Carr tweeted.

“I’m grateful for the support and thankful for people who have stood firm with me,” Moreau tweeted. “There hasn’t been a single step I’ve taken without hundreds of people lighting the path before me, and I will continue to seek their guidance.