While in college, Josh Paschal’s football career suffered a major setback: He was diagnosed with malignant melanoma, a type of skin cancer, on his left foot.
“Of course, it’s going to depress you when you first hear it. I’d be lying if I said it was easy at first,” the now Detroit Lions linebacker said in a recent interview with Pak Gazette Digital.
But he came back and played himself to become a second-round pick in 2022, which he considers destiny.
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Detroit Lions defensive end Josh Paschal (93) runs during the NFL game between the Detroit Lions and the Minnesota Vikings on October 20, 2024, at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, MN. (Bailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“It’s just amazing to be surrounded by such great leadership. Our front office, our head coach, is the best team I’ve ever been on… It’s an amazing experience. This is the closest group I’ve had since playing football. soccer”. “This group, this team just loves each other. We’ve been through adversity, but just embrace this city and the culture of courage, of overcoming obstacles and adversity,” Paschal said.
That last line fits Paschal perfectly: as he expressed his cancer diagnosis, “it’s honestly the worst thing that can happen to you in your life.”
But their head coach, Dan Campbell, puts everything into 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 have seen it directly in the eyes. Honestly, it’s the worst thing that can happen to you in life, and I’m grateful that the Lord led me. overcome that whole situation,” Paschal said. “But I feel like everyone in this room, everyone in our team room when we have team meetings, or it doesn’t matter if it’s the coaches or their players, they’ve been through adversity, they know how to overcome it. and they are of great 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. He became more familiar with the foundation last year and wanted to be part of the team.
“It’s something that my brother put on my radar. I did a little research on it and then I saw his famous quote: “Never give up” in his ESPY speech. That motivated me and moved me a lot, and that made me want to work with them” Paschal said.
After feeling depressed about his football destiny following the diagnosis, he said his family, his friends and his faith “kicked me out.”
“And that was the opportunity for me to use Jimmy V’s mantra of ‘never give up.’ That allowed me to keep fighting, because I feel like that mentality carries over to everything in life, but it also directly correlates to the moment.” that you’re fighting that cancer.
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Josh Paschal (93) during an NFL preseason football game between the Detroit Lions and the Carolina Panthers on August 25, 2023, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, Carolina northern. (John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Now, Paschal could be less than two months away from bringing the Lions their first Super Bowl.
“I feel better, I keep improving. You want to play your best football until January. So we can continue to grow every week, continue to perform. Both sides are playing very well, we let it.” We won too many points in the last game, so we have to recover. But the only thing that matters in a team like us is how we recover.”
