When he was in college, Josh Paschal His football career took a major hit, as he was diagnosed with malignant melanoma, a type of skin cancer, in his left foot.
“Of course, it's going to frustrate you when you first hear it. I'd be lying if I said it was easy at first,” now Detroit Lions The linebacker said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital.
But he came back and tried to become a second-round pick in 2022, which he feels is destiny.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Detroit Lions defensive end Josh Paschall (93) rushes during an NFL game between the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings on October 20, 2024, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Billy Hilsheim/Ikon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“It's amazing to be around such great leadership. Our front office, our head coach, it's the best team I've ever been with… It's an amazing experience. This is the closest group I've played since I've played football,” Paschal said. “This team loves each other, we have been through adversity, but it embraces this city and its culture of determination and overcoming obstacles and adversity.”
That last sentence fits Paschall perfectly — as he said of his cancer diagnosis, “It's honestly the worst thing that can happen to you in life.”
But his coach, Dan Campbell, puts it all in perspective.
“Coach Campbell says this all the time, he says everyone in this room is here for a reason.” And I feel like the reason I'm here is because I've been through adversity, I've seen it in our eyes, and it's honestly the worst thing that can happen to you in life, and I'm grateful that God guided you through that whole situation,” Paschal said. “But I feel like every single person in this room, every single person in our team room when we have team meetings, or regardless of whether it's the coaches or their players, they've been through adversity, they know how to get through it, and they're high in character.”
Detroit Lions defensive end Josh Paschall (93) runs onto the field during a players introduction before the start of an NFL football game between the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions on January 7, 2024 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. (Scott W. Grau/Ikon Sportswire via Getty Images)
'risk!' Racers are confused about the super dryness of the planes
Earlier this year, Paschall represented the Jimmy V Foundation as part of the NFL's “My Cause My Cleats” campaign. He had become more familiar with the organization in the past year and wanted to be part of the team.
“It's something that my brother put on my radar. I did some research on it, and then I saw his famous quote, 'Never give up,' in his ESPY speech. I was very excited and touched by that, and that pushed me toward wanting to… “Work with them.”
Feeling down about his football fate following the diagnosis, he said his family, friends and faith “snapped me out of it”.
“And that was an opportunity for me to use the motto that Jimmy V said, ‘Never give up.’ That allowed me to keep fighting, because I feel like that mentality, it applies to everything in life, but it also directly relates to when you're fighting this cancer.”
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Josh Paschall (93) during a preseason football game between the Detroit Lions and Carolina Panthers on August 25, 2023, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. (John Byrom/Sportswire Icon via Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Now, Paschall may be less than two months away from bringing in the Lions for the first time ever Super Bowl.
“I feel better, just keep improving. You want to play your best in January. So we'll be able to keep growing every week, keep performing. Both teams are playing great – we're allowing we're up by quite a few points.” “In the last match, so we have to go back, but all that matters with a team like ours is how we recover.”
Follow Fox News Digital Sports coverage on Xand subscribe to Fox News Sports Huddle Newsletter.
