Texans' John Metchie III Diagnosed with Leukemia, Likely Out for Season

Houston Texans wide receiver John Metchie III announced Sunday he'll likely miss the 2022 season after being diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia.

Metchie, 22, was drafted in the second round by the Texans this year and was placed on the non-football injury list after the announcement.

"Recently I was diagnosed with APL (Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia), the most curable form of Leukemia," the statement read. "I am currently receiving great medical care, am in good spirits and I expect to make a recovery at a later point in time. As a result of this diagnosis, I will likely not be playing football this season. My main focus will be on my health and recovery. Thank you in advance for your support and well-wishes. I cannot wait to come back stronger than ever. God bless."

In his three seasons at Alabama, Metchie caught 155 passes for 2,081 yards and 14 touchdowns. He caught 96 passes for 1,142 yards and eight touchdowns last season, pairing with Jameson Williams to give Heisman winner Bryce Young a pair of 1,000-yard receivers.

Metchie's 2021 season ended in the SEC Championship Game after he tore his ACL.

Metchie's college coach, Nick Saban, offered his support to the wideout in a statement Sunday:

The Texans traded the Nos. 68, 108 and 124 picks to the Cleveland Browns to move up and draft Metchie at No. 44.

He had hoped to recover from that injury in time for training camp before his APL diagnosis.