The former pro athlete is now an advocate for men's health.
Bo Jackson, who played both professional football and baseball, revealed his cancer diagnosis for the first time while appearing on The Dan Patrick Show. Jackson was promoting his podcast Bo Knows Men’s Health when he shared the news that he had his prostate removed.
“I am a cancer survivor,” the 63-year-old told listeners. “I had my prostate taken out. And this is coming from somebody that a lot of men around the country look up to. If I can talk about it, we should talk about it as men.”
Jackson pointed out that talking about doctor appointments and health issues has become taboo for men. “We think that it makes us less of a man, period,” he said, specifically referencing routine prostate checks and colonoscopies. “The only time we talk about that is when we’re behind closed doors with our doctors.”
The former pro athlete assured fans that he’s “doing fine, doing great,” and revealed that his prostate surgery was three months ago. He added that the reason he had the surgery was so he could be around for his two grandsons in the future.
“I have two grandsons, who I have more fun with than any football game, baseball game I’ve ever played. My job as papa is to spoil the s**t out of my grandkids,” he explained. Jackson also urged men not to be “afraid to go see your doctor” moving forward.
Jackson is the only professional athlete to have ever been named an All-Star in two major American sports. He played baseball for the Kansas City Royals from 1986 to 1991. From 1991 to 1993, he was on the Chicago White Sox, then played with the California Angels before retiring in 1994.
Before turning to professional baseball, Jackson was drafted by the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1986, but wound up turning down the offer. From 1987 to 1990, he played football for the Los Angeles Raiders, while also competing for the Kansas City Royals on the baseball field.
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Category: General Sports
