Texans get emotional boost with defensive end returning to practice
By Randy Gurzi
Last November, the Houston Texans were hit with some somber news as rookie defensive end Dylan Horton announced he was stepping away from football. The fourth-round pick from TCU was diagnosed with Stage IV Hodgkin lymphoma and needed to focus on his health.
In March, he entered remission and in May, he completed his radiation therapy.
Horton just hit another milestone in his battle as he was cleared to practice for the first time in nearly a year. On Wednesday, he took the field for the Texans, giving the team an emotional boost.
#Texans DL Dylan Horton will return to practice today for the first time since last November, shortly before he was diagnosed with Stage IV Hodgkin’s lymphoma, sources say. Horton, who is currently on the NFI list, is in remission and completed his treatments in the spring. pic.twitter.com/IkROgi9q7B
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) October 2, 2024
Horton was praised by head coach DeMeco Ryans, who said that the 24-year-old attacked his battle with a "great attitude" and always had a smile.
#Texans coach DeMeco Ryans on Dylan Horton @dhorton_98 inspirational return from Stage 4 Hodgkin's lymphoma @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/mdi5QlV5Om
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) October 2, 2024
As a rookie, the 6-foot-4, 275-pound Horton appeared in 10 games for the Texans. He played 175 snaps on their base defense and 98 on special teams. Horton had 13 tackles with one going for a loss. He added two quarterback pressures and two QB hits as well.
Texans have more than one inspirational story to lean on in 2024
For the Texans, this is the second year in a row they had a player fight their way back to the field. John Metchie III, a second-round pick from Alabama in 2022, missed his rookie season when he was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia.
He returned to action in Week 2 of the 2023 season and played in 16 games. Metchie had 16 receptions for 158 yards. This season, Metchie has just one reception for seven yards as he hasn't cracked a deep receiving corps.
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