IRVINE, Calif. (AP) — Jake Haener, who spent a season enjoying quarterback for the UW Huskies, is balancing a latest pores and skin most cancers prognosis along with his effort to safe a job backing up New Orleans Saints starter Derek Carr.
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Haener shared his prognosis when he was requested a few small round adhesive bandage on his proper cheek.
The 25-year-old, second-year professional declined to share the precise prognosis, however mentioned he realized a bit of greater than per week in the past that he had a type of pores and skin most cancers which is uncommon for individuals his age.
“It’s sort of one thing that simply popped up. I used to be sort of frightened about it. My household was sort of frightened about it. It was sort of this random bump,” Haener mentioned.
The 2023 fourth-round draft alternative noticed a dermatologist, had the blemish eliminated and the biopsy produced a most cancers prognosis.
Haener, who has participated within the Saints’ first three practices of camp on the campus of the College of California at Irvine, mentioned he’s not sure concerning the extent to which his prognosis will intrude along with his soccer schedule.
He has an appointment on Aug. 1, after which medical doctors will resolve a course of therapy and the way lengthy he may be capable of delay that therapy if it might intrude along with his NFL profession.
“When issues like that pop up, you’ve received to go handle it,” Haener mentioned. “My household was nice. The (Saints’) coaching employees has been nice about coping with it with me.”
Haener is the second Saints participant in two years to have a most cancers prognosis. Final summer season, tight finish Foster Moreau underwent therapy for Hodgkin’s lymphoma. His most cancers was in full remission earlier than coaching camp and he performed in 15 video games final season.
Haener sounded optimistic about his prospects for a full restoration.
“I’m OK mentally. It’s simply one thing I’ve received to handle and do the required steps,” Haener mentioned. “I really feel like I’m fairly younger and wholesome to have the ability to have one thing like that pop up, however I wish to handle it. I wish to be accountable about it — clearly not make it a distraction as a result of I’m going to be nice. … I don’t wish to wait too lengthy with one thing like this. I wish to get it dealt with.”
Haener tried 13 passes for the Huskies because the backup to Jake Browning in 2018. He then transferred to Fresno State, the place he threw for 9,013 yards, 67 touchdowns and 17 interceptions in 29 video games between 2020 and 2022. He completed fourth on Fresno State’s all-time passing yardage record.
Seattle Sports activities employees contributed to this publish.
