Eagles sign 15-year-old leukemia patient to a one-day contract
At 4-1, the Philadelphia Eagles appear to be a solid team capable of making a run into the playoffs. On Friday, the team made a roster move designed to strengthen Philadelphia off the field.
The team signed Colin Delaney, a 15-year-old battling leukemia, to a “one-day contract” that will allow him to join the Eagles on the sideline for Sunday night’s game against the New York Giants. On Friday’s “Today Show,” Philadelphia GM Howie Roseman gave Delaney the contract and a personalized jersey with no. 1 on it.
Delaney, a former high school fullback, was diagnosed with Burkitt’s lymphoma in February. He had been a frequent hospital patient for much of the year, and this summer, got to play football again as part of an Eagles-sponsored camp at a Ronald McDonald House in upstate Philadelphia. Delaney, a fan of LeSean McCoy, got an added surprise when McCoy and quarterback Nick Foles showed up to the camp.
“Best day ever — unexpected and awesome,” Delaney said on the Today Show. “I’m definitely gonna remember this for the rest of my life.”
“There’s something about putting on those flags, and you’re on the field. All that matters at that moment is football,” camp counselor Andre Sabelette told Today. “Cancer is the last thing on their minds. Doesn’t matter whether you have leukemia — all of the sudden, they realize that they don’t have any limits.”
The Eagles face the Giants at home on Sunday Night Football, and Delaney will be right there.
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Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at [email protected] or find him on Twitter.
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