New England Patriots defensive coordinator Terrell Williams has announced he is cancer-free as the team prepares for the Super Bowl against the Seattle Seahawks. Williams was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer after the Patriots' opening game of the season against the Las Vegas Raiders.
The diagnosis came after Williams vomited several times the night before the Raiders game. He informed head coach Mike Vrabel and was examined by team medical staff before attending an urgent care centre. Tests revealed the cancer, which doctors initially suspected to be lymphoma. However, further investigation at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston confirmed it was prostate cancer that had spread aggressively.
Throughout the season, Williams remained in Boston for treatment and was unable to travel with the team for away games. The Super Bowl marks his first trip with the Patriots this season, as the team faces the Seahawks in a rematch of the 2015 Super Bowl, which the Patriots won.
'Thank God that I had the stomach flu because if I didn’t, it just would have been business as usual,' Williams told reporters. He expressed joy at being with the team, saying: 'This could be a preseason game, and I’d be happy to be here with these guys after kind of what I’ve been through, what we’ve been through. It’s been joyous for me just to watch them develop and buy into the message.'
Linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson praised Williams for his positive demeanour throughout his treatment. 'He still had the charismatic energy and kept a smile on his face; he kept being positive. You wouldn’t be able to know anything was going on with him,' Chaisson said. The Super Bowl takes place on February 8 at 6.30pm ET at Levi’s Stadium in California.
