(Reuters) – Indianapolis Colts punter Rigoberto Sanchez has been diagnosed with cancer and is undergoing surgery Tuesday to remove a tumor, he said on Monday.
The 26-year-old, who signed with the Colts after going undrafted in 2017, said that his doctors had caught the cancerous tumor “before it spread all over” but added that he will miss some playing time.
It was not immediately clear how many weeks he would be out.
“Unfortunately, there are things you can’t control in life and this is one of them,” Sanchez said in a statement. “No plans or preparation would have gotten me ready for this kind of adversity, but like I told my wife, we can’t flinch.
“Keep striving to come back stronger than ever.”
The Colts, who extended his contract last year through 2023, shared his statement on social media, adding “We love you” and the hashtag “#RigoStrong.”
(Reporting by Amy Tennery; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
