An NFL Player Tested Positive for COVID—Then Learned He Needs Open Heart Surgery

Philip Ellis
·3 min read

From Men's Health

Cameron Smith, linebacker with the Minnesota Vikings, announced over the weekend that he would not be playing in the 2020 season, as he needs to take time away from the NFL for health reasons.

In an Instagram post, the 23-year-old player explained that after testing positive for COVID-19, doctors ordered further tests which led them to discover he has a congenital heart defect which requires immediate surgical intervention. He added that it was a "blessing" they were able to make the diagnosis when they did, as it could have proven serious if it had gone untreated.

"Earlier this week I found out I need open heart surgery to fix a bicuspid aortic valve that I was born with," Smith said. "Although this will unfortunately end my 2020 season, it is really a blessing that we found this as my heart is severely enlarged and wouldn’t have lasted much longer. I found this out after I tested positive for COVID and had to have further testing done as protocol. The Lord works in mysterious ways, but I could really feel him on this one!"

View this post on Instagram

Earlier this week I found out I need open heart surgery to fix a bicuspid aortic valve that I was born with. Although this will unfortunately end my 2020 season, it is really a blessing that we found this as my heart is severely enlarged and wouldn’t have lasted much longer. I found this out after I tested positive for COVID and had to have further testing done as protocol. The Lord works in mysterious ways, but I could really feel him on this one!🙏🏻 There is a surgery that will allow me to continue to play football as soon as I am healed and cleared and I didn’t think twice about going with that one. By no means am I ready to be done playing football, there is still so much more I want to accomplish on the field. Im going to attack this like everything else I have in life. Already looking forward to the comeback! #SKOL

A post shared by Cam (@_killacam) on Aug 8, 2020 at 12:22pm PDT

Smith went on to say he is optimistic about making a return to the NFL after sitting this season out.

"There is a surgery that will allow me to continue to play football as soon as I am healed and cleared and I didn't think twice about going with that one," he said. "By no means am I ready to be done playing football, there is still so much more I want to accomplish on the field. I'm going to attack this like everything else I have in life. Already looking forward to the comeback!"

He followed his post with another, thanking his fans for their support, and sharing his own message of perseverance in the face of adversity. "Bumps in the road are a part of life, but how you attack them is all that really matters," he said. "You can coast through and land safely or pin that son of a gun and launch off that bump as if it was only there to put you further ahead."

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