NFL legend Randy Moss said he was battling an internal health issue on Sunday, asking fans to pray for him.
“Throughout the week and the holidays, your boy has been battling something internal,” said the 47-year-old ESPN football analyst, flanked by former New York Jets coach Rex Ryan and retired quarterback Alex Smith on the set of “Sunday NFL Countdown,” just three hours before the show.
Moss didn’t reveal any details about his medical issue but asked fans to pray for “me and my family through these hard times.”
“Your boy’s gonna get through it. I got a great team of doctors and I got a great family around me,” he continued, then encouraged viewers to take care of themselves. “Y’all do your checkups, get your blood work done, and we’ll work through it.”
Former Minnesota Vikings great made headlines last week for wearing sunglasses during the sports pregame broadcast. He now suggested he was wearing it because of his health issues—not to be disrespectful, as some had suggested.
“People were talking about my eyes last week,” Moss said, as he put on a pair of blue-tinted gradient sunglasses, and jokingly turned his camera toward Ryan, who he joked wore his spectacles in support.
“I did post that message up,” Moss said in a follow-up video, referring to his earlier post. “There’s going to be just people concerned and there’s going to be people asking questions.”
“At this time I just want to keep a lot of things private and you all just bear with me. But like I said, I need your prayers.”
When Sunday NFL Countdown began, Moss right away addressed the two posts he had made earlier, reiterating his message.
“I just wanted to let the viewers know that me and my wife, and my family, we are battling something internally.”
“I couldn’t miss the show, I wanted to be here with you guys—I feel great,” he added
Moss’s co-hosts then all joined him, putting on glasses in support.
Moss, one of the most talented wide receivers to ever step foot on the field, ended his NFL career with 156 touchdowns—ranking him number two all-time, topped only by Jerry Rice’s incredible 197.
That said, Moss still holds the NFL record for most touchdowns in a season, 23 in 2007 while playing for the New England Patriots, as well as the NFL single-season touchdown reception record for a rookie: 17 in 1998.
His receptions were excellent at 15,292 yards, ranking him fourth all-time great trailing only Jerry Rice (22,895 yards), Larry Fitzgerald (17,492 yards), and Terrell Owens (15,934 yards).
In 2018, Moss was introduced to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.