Colorado LB Nikhil Webb Walker announces lymphoma diagnosis

Colorado linebacker Nikhil Webb Walker announced he has been diagnosed with lymphoma. He informed his teammates this week with head coach Deion Sanders at his side encouraging the Buffaloes to rally around him.

Webb Walker transferred to Colorado last season from New Mexico State, where he spent one season. He totaled 25 tackles and 2.5 sacks in 12 appearances, including four starts, before making his way to Boulder. He didn’t play in a game in 2023, but made three appearances this year as a redshirt sophomore.

Webb Walker said he’s been away from the team for some time after noticing a bump on his chest. After getting the results of his test, he walked his teammates through his journey and confirmed his form of lymphoma is treatable.

Coach Prime comforts Colorado player, Nikhil Webb Walker, who has recently been diagnosed with Lymphoma:

“We love you, and we’re here for you.”🙏

🎥@DeionSandersJr pic.twitter.com/SJJCcFRn75

— GUCCE🦬🐦‍⬛ (@gucceCU) October 25, 2024

“One morning, I woke up with a bump on my chest,” Webb Walker told the team. “I thought it was gonna go away, so I waited about a week or two. Then, I went to the trainers, and they had me do a bunch of tests, a biopsy, a surgery. They cut my bump open, they put me to sleep. Then, they sent it to get tested. I got up here yesterday about 7:30 with AP, my mom and the doc, and he said, ‘You’ve got lymphoma. You’re gonna need to do a round of chemo just to get rid of it, but it’s very treatable.’ That’s just what I’ve been going through. That’s why y’all haven’t seen me.

“I’ve been trying to keep it under wraps because I don’t want to be a distraction to the team. I want to see what y’all do. Just keep winning – conference championship, bowl game, national championship. So that’s why I’ve kept it under wraps. I’ve been in and out, but just being here helped me with the whole process and really just dealing with it. I just want to say thank y’all boys because y’all’s made it easier on me. Even though it was tough and I never thought this would happen to me, but it’s just the Lord’s way and it’s His plan. Appreciate y’all keeping me up and having me smiling while I’ve been in here.”

After Nikhil Webb Walker’s announcement, Sanders pushed back on the idea he’d be a “distraction” for the Buffs. Coach Prime sees it as the opposite. Webb Walker’s diagnosis puts things in perspective, and his teammates can now rally around him in their support.

“First of all, you’re never a distraction,” Sanders said. “You’re a blessing, and you allow us to understand what life really is. We play the childish game of college football that we can make millions of dollars on and bring people satisfaction. We give them ups and downs, we give them any kind of emotion. But what you’re dealing with is real, and the way you dealt with it has been just admirable.

“We love you, we appreciate you, we’re here for you. … We want to keep in contact with you because I know you’re gonna go to the crib and come back and forth, so you can be settled and be at ease and peace. But understand that we love you and there’s always a place for you here. You good? We love you, man.”