Texans WR John Metchie III 'Making Progress' In Cancer Fight, at Offseason Workouts

HOUSTON — Houston Texans wide receiver John Metchie III missed his entire rookie campaign in 2022 due to a diagnosis of Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia. The news came amid Metchie's ongoing ACL rehab after he sustained the injury during the 2021 SEC Championship Game.

The 2023 off-season was always a target for Metchie to return to the field. And when the voluntary workouts program started on April 25, Metchie participated in his first team session since rookie training camp in 2022.

"He's making progress," general manager Nick Caserio said. "So he was a full participant last week when we got on the field for sort of Phase 2. He hasn't played football in a long time, so going from Phase 2 then really Phase 3 when we actually start practicing football (will be another jump).''

Caserio said no one had worked harder over the last year than Metchie and credited the Texans sports performance staff for helping the rookie wide receiver return to the field.

The Texans drafted Alabama's Metchie in the second round (pick No. 44) of the 2022 NFL Draft. Metchie established himself as arguably the top wide receiver in the SEC in 2021, where he helped 'Bama to a 13-2 record in his final season, with 96 catches for a career-best 1,142 yards and eight touchdowns.

Coach DeMeco Ryans has described Metchie as an outstanding young man who has a big smile and great energy every moment he is around the team. Metchie will help improve Houston's subpar wide receiver corps as an additional target for rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud to utilize in the passing game next season.

"There's a lot of people that deserve a lot of credit that has helped him get to this point," Caserio said. " I would say it's kind of inspiring to see somebody do that. He's making progress. Haven't been any setbacks. Still a long road ahead of us, and he hasn't played a lot of football. We're all certainly cautiously optimistic about where he's headed."

You can follow Coty M. Davis on Twitter at @CotyDavis_24

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