Randy Moss shares health update in NFL Honors appearance aid cancer battle

In December, Hall-of-Fame wide receiver Randy Moss announced that he’d been diagnosed with bile duct cancer and would be taking an indefinite leave of absence from ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown. During the NFL Honors on Thursday evening, Moss made a virtual appearance to present the Comeback Player of the Year Award and provided an update on his health while doing so.

“Good evening everybody, how are y’all doing? It is great to talk to you tonight,” Moss said. “I’m sorry I could not be there in person to join you all. But I want to send a special thank you to all of my doctors, my beautiful wife, my children, my family, my teammates and all the prayer warriors out there. We are ‘Mossing’ cancer and I cannot wait to get back on television with all my guys.

“But tonight I am thrilled to be able to present an award I was honored to win myself back in 2007 with the New England Patriots – 23 touchdowns. There’s no better story in the National Football League than the one about a player who does big things, overcomes adversity and faces obstacles, but ultimately finds their way back to the mountain top.”

Moss was named the Comeback Player of the Year in 2007 after joining the New England Patriots and boosting the team to a Super Bowl appearance. Now, Moss is working to make another awe-inspiring comeback.

On Dec. 13, Moss revealed that he’d undergone a Whipple procedure to address his cancer, calling himself a “cancer survivor.” While it’s unclear when Moss will be back in the studio, it seems like his health is improving.

After retiring from the NFL in 2012, Moss joined ESPN as an analyst in 2016. Since then, he has appeared on Sunday NFL Countdown and Monday Night Countdown.

Moss has no shortage of football knowledge. The West Virginia native played in the NFL from 1998-2012. Widely regarded as one of the greatest wide receivers of all time, Moss ranks second in career touchdown receptions and is fourth in career receiving yards.

He also still holds the NFL single-season touchdown reception record (23 in 2007), as well as the NFL single-season touchdown reception record for a rookie (17 in 1998).

On Thursday, Randy Moss gave the Comeback Player of the Year Award to Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, his second time winning the honor. Burrow had a career campaign after missing the final seven games of the 2023 season due to a serious wrist injury that required surgery.