When he was in college, by Josh Paschal football career suffered a major blow: he was diagnosed with malignant melanoma, a form of skin cancer, in his left foot.
“Of course it’s going to knock you down when you first hear it. I’d be lying if I said it was easy at first,” says the now Detroit Lions linebacker said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital.
But he bounced back and played himself into becoming a second-round pick in 2022, which he believes is destined to happen.
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Detroit Lions defensive end Josh Paschal (93) rushes during the NFL game between the Detroit Lions and the Minnesota Vikings on October 20, 2024 at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Bailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“It’s just great to have such great leadership. Our front office, our head coach, it’s the best team I’ve ever been around… This is a great experience. This is the tightest group I’ve had since I played football.” This group, this team just loves each other. We have experienced adversity, but it just embraces this city and the culture of perseverance, of overcoming obstacles and adversity,” Paschal said.
That last sentence fits Paschal perfectly – as he put his cancer diagnosis: “It’s honestly the worst thing that can happen to you in life.”
But his head 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 saw it right in my eyes. It’s honestly the worst thing that can happen to you in life, and I’m thankful that the Lord guided me through that whole situation,” Paschal said. But I feel like everyone in this room, everyone in our team room, when we have team meetings, whether it’s the coaches or his players, they’ve been through adversity, they know how to get through it, and they have a high character.”
Detroit Lions defensive end Josh Paschal (93) runs onto the field during player introductions before the start of an NFL football game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Detroit Lions on January 7, 2024 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. (Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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Earlier this year, Paschal represented the Jimmy V Foundation as part of the NFL’s “My Cause My Cleats” campaign. Last year he got to know the foundation better and wanted to be part of the team.
“It’s something that my brother put on my radar. And I did some research on it, and then I saw his famous quote, ‘Never give up,’ in his ESPY speech. I was extremely motivated and moved by that, and that made me want to work with them,” Paschal said.
After feeling down about his football fate following the diagnosis, he said his family, friends and faith “knocked me out.”
“And that was the opportunity for me to use the mantra that Jimmy V did: ‘never give up. It also directly correlates with the fight against cancer.”
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Josh Paschal (93) during a preseason NFL football game between the Detroit Lions and the Carolina Panthers on August 25, 2023 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC (John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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Now Paschal could be less than two months away from bringing the Lions their first ever Super Bowl.
“I just feel like getting better, just getting better and better. You want to play your best football in January. So we’ll be able to keep growing and keep performing every week. Both sides are playing great – we’re showing a lot in the last game.” Too many points scored, so we have to bounce back. But the only thing that matters with a team like us is how we bounce back.”
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