Vikings’ Udeze Retires: A Sad and Inspiring Story Gets Lost in the Shuffle

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for NFLSportChannel.com

Published: July 29, 2009

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Players retire from the NFL every year, and a lot of the time we don't even notice except for maybe a passing story.

However, this retirement is as heartbreaking as you'll ever find.

Udeze was forced to sit out the 2008 season after being diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. However, Udeze decided to return to the field after a year of rehab, bone marrow transplants, and other treatments.

"I'd be lying if I said it was easy," Udeze said back in late May at Minnesota's OTA's. "There was never an easy point. The first time I went back to USC and started working out with the fellas, I fell."

"I took two steps and I fell. I took small steps at first and, to where I am now, I can't complain."

At the time, Udeze was fresh off a bone marrow transplant and a biopsy. He showed incredible strength and willpower to simply be standing, let alone out on a football field.

"That's where they go in and take a little piec...

Read Complete Article at Bleacher Report - NFL
Article Source: BleacherReport.com


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