Former The Woodlands, Texas football standout Mitchell Meyers has beaten a number of opponents in his lifetime. From rival high schools, to Big-12 opponents, to his most recent foe Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. All of his hard work and dedication in defeating cancer has paid off; as Meyers was named as a starter and a captain for the upcoming 2016 Iowa State Cyclones season.
Meyers tweeted the great news to his 1,500 followers back on August 27 saying, “I’m honored to have been voted captain of the 2016 Iowa State football team. I can’t thank my coaches, teammates, and family enough.”
He told the Associated Press, “I’ve actually been thinking about this; if you were to tell me I’d get cancer two years ago, I would have never believed you. And if you were to tell me that I’m in the position I’m in now six months ago, I definitely wouldn’t have believed you. Right now I’m in a really good position to succeed.”
Meyers was initially diagnosed with cancer in February, 2015. He would go on to fight the disease the way he would battle an opposing interior lineman: head on. The senior’s dedication to the Cyclones program saw him have to miss practices; but he would never miss a workout with the team during the offseason.
The upbeat, positive attitude Meyers had during his battle with Hodgkin’s led to him being voted a captain by his teammates. Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell gushed on the inspiration of Meyers in this Cyclones locker room.
“That’s defining,” Campbell said of Meyers’ road back to the field to the Iowa State Daily. “And that’s what this program needs. It needs those kinds of people that can lead us through adversity and the tough times. [He is] one of the best stories in college football. Meyers has been in the front of the pack in terms of conditioning and fitness, even though Meyers said he still hasn’t returned to the form he was in before being diagnosed with cancer. He doesn’t know if he will ever get to that peak fitness, saying he’s getting used to the “new normal.”
Sometimes the offensive or defensive linemen can get forgotten about. However, they are some of the hardest working men on the field. They’re the only players on the field that are putting their bodies in to contact on every play.
Meyers has said that he doesn’t want to become a story because of his win over cancer. This mentality isn’t the least bit surprising, he just wants to treat it like beating Kansas on a Saturday.
Well, sorry Mitchell. Not only beating Hodgkin’s lymphoma, but now being able to regain your role on the team is a giant inspiration. The eyes of the college football world will be anxiously awaiting your first snap against Northern Iowa on Saturday. And, he’ll have everyone cheering for the former three-star recruit from Woodlands, TX High School.
