 |
| Andre Hal photo courtesy: Associated Press |
On Tuesday the 26-year-old took to his Twitter to announce his retirement from the NFL:
"One thing I've learned in life is that change is inevitable and life goes through seasons," Hal tweeted. "This season of my life has come to an end. I will be retiring from the NFL. My health did not have anything to do with my decision. "I am completely healthy. Thank you to the Houston Texans organization for giving me the opportunity to live my childhood dream. I also want to thank my family and and friends for all their support. I truly appreciate it."
Hal battled lymphoma last year, but stated his decision to step away from the game now has nothing to do with health issues.
Hal was a seventh round pick by the Texans out of Vanderbilt where he was a second team all SEC.
In his five year NFL career Hal amassed 189 tackles, one sack, two forced fumbles, 31 pass deflections, 12 interceptions and one defensive touchdown.
On June 6, 2018 Hal was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. He was placed on the Texans reserved/non-football injuries list on September 1. Hal's cancer went into remission on September 26 and he was placed on the active roster on October 20. He made his first start of the season in Week 7.
His teammates awarded him the Ed Block Courage Award for overcoming his illness and returning to the field.
Texans head coach Bill O'Brien released a statement via Texans Twitter after Hal's announcement:
“Andre Hal is the epitome of what it means to be a Houston Texans player. What he overcame last season is nothing short of incredible and is an inspiration to every single person in this building. Over the last five years, Andre’s leadership, infectious personality in the locker room and play-making skills on the field were instrumental to our success. He’s what this place is all about. Although Andre will be missed, I have no doubt that he will be extremely successful in the next chapter of his life.”
No comments:
Post a Comment