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The NFL is no stranger to tragedy hitting one of its players, with the emotional scars still raw from Dwayne Haskins' death in the 2022 offseason.
However, there has now been a fresh wave of concern within the league after New Orleans Saints backup quarterback, Jake Haener, announced that he's been diagnosed with a rare form of skin cancer.
"I actually have a rare form of skin cancer," Haener explained in a statement.
"For my age, it's kind of rare that it pops up like that, so I'm trying to get that evaluated with our training staff.
"I have a consultation with doctors on August 1 to figure out how long I can wait because I have to get a different procedure done on my face. We're trying to take the necessary steps to see how long I can wait to have that procedure done."
Haener explained how he first noticed the irregularity on the skin on his face, and went to a specialist to get an expert opinion.
"It's something that just popped up," he continued.
"I was worried about it; my family was worried about it. It was just this random odd bump that kept growing.
"I went to a dermatologist, they removed it, they did a biopsy on it, and it came back last week, right before camp, that it was a rare form of skin cancer for my age, like I said.
"Hopefully, when we get back to New Orleans after the preseason, I'll be able to get that procedure done."
Is this form of the disease treatable?
Whilst all NFL players undergo rigorous medical inspections throughout the year, it is worthwhile noting that Haener noticed this irregularity during the offseason.
He therefore had to rely on his own instincts to get the bump checked out, which was a smart move.
Whilst matters related to cancer can never be predicted with certainty, it is understood that Haener's type of cancer can be treated and a there is a good chance of a full recovery.