Gophers' Casey O'Brien to have surgery after scan shows spot on lung
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - It’s been a whirlwind season for Gopher football player Casey O’Brien, and he’s got another challenge to tackle before this historic season for Minnesota comes to an end.
O’Brien, a third-string holder on special teams and four-time cancer survivor, posted on Twitter Monday afternoon that three-month scans showed a spot on one of his lungs. Given his history with cancer, he says doctors want to remove it and get it tested.
O’Brien was a speaker at the Big Ten Media Days in Chicago before the season and told his story of fighting the disease, and succeeding, four times. His story came full circle in Minnesota’s 42-7 win at Rutgers. Gophers’ coach PJ Fleck put him on the field for three holds in the second half. O’Brien fulfilled his dream of playing in a Division I football game.
He did it again the following week in the Gophers’ 52-10 win over Maryland at TCF Bank Stadium. When the Gophers played at Iowa two weeks ago, O'Brien was out on the field with his teammates after the first quarter waving up to kids battling cancer at the University of Iowa Children's Hospital. He knows their battle, he's been there.
Casey O'Brien #14 of the Minnesota Golden Gophers, a four-time cancer survivor, is celebrated for holding on a point after touchdown during the fourth quarter at SHI Stadium on October 19, 2019 in Piscataway, New Jersey. Minnesota defeated Rutgers 42 ((Photo by Corey Perrine/Getty Images))
O'Brien wears multiple wristbands to pay tribute to current kids at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital currently battling cancer.
Due his previous history with osteosarcoma, which he's been battling since high school, O'Brien has had to have his left knee replaced, had several lung surgeries and endured months of chemotherapy. He was cleared to play football again shortly before the Gophers started spring practice earlier this year.
Fleck released a statement Monday after getting the news from O'Brien.
"I met with Casey earlier today and he shared the news with me, as he does after each scan. Casey is the strongest young man I have ever met, and I know he will recover from this as well. He has an entire team, community, state and all of college football supporting him and rowing the boat with him," Fleck said.
O’Brien says he’s “ready to go 1-0 in this surgery season! Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. God will continue to take care of me. RTB.”
The Gophers host Wisconsin on Saturday, with the winner advancing to face Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship.