While the game of football has garnered a reputation for being one of the hardest sports in the world, nothing compares to the trials and tribulations that are inherently baked into the game of life. Making a phone call to inform a player that they’ve been cut from the roster seems like the hardest thing to do, until you’re tasked with informing someone that they have cancer.
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Having experienced both, former NFL running back, Brandon Bolden, sat down with the cast and crew of the Raw Room podcast to detail his journey through the latter.
Brandon Bolden’s NFL journey began with a humble start, as he was signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2012. Over the course of nine non-consecutive seasons with the Patriots, Bolden proved himself to be a versatile and valuable asset.
One of the highlights of his career came when he was part of the Patriots’ Super Bowl XLIX championship team, which defeated the Seattle Seahawks in a thrilling 28–24 victory. His second highlight came when the Patriots won Super Bowl LI, where he was on the special team. The next year, however, wasn’t so lucky. Not only did the Patriots lose Super Bowl LII, Bolden received a harrowing phone call from a team doctor.
“Lose the Super Bowl, go home, I’m in the driveway… And the team doctor called. I had completely forgot that I did these tests. He said ‘Hey, Brandon. Are you sitting down?’ No. Why? What’s up? He said ‘Yea, we ran the tests man and it’s cancer.’ I’m looking at my wife like… Oh it’s nothing, go inside, I’m coming… She doesn’t even know,” he detailed the harrowing experience.
Understanding the gravity of the situation, Bolden immediately informed his doctor that he would be opting for surgery. “First off, we’re doing surgery and y’all are getting this **** out. I’m not doing chemo or radiation.”
Unfortunately for Bolden, the conversation with his wife didn’t go as smoothly as it had with his doctor. “She was pissed that I hadn’t said anything all these years.” After scheduling his surgery, the former New England Patriot was apparently misinformed as to what the procedure would entail.
“They had to take a piece of this bone in my skull out just to get to it… They didn’t tell me that… I wake up and the first thing I tell the nurse is that I need to call my wife. I don’t know how long I’ve been in this **** but it’s dark outside… She hops on the phone and is crying… She said ‘You’ve been in surgery for nine hours.’ They said it was going to be a quick surgery.”
Suffice to say, the procedure may not have been what the family had expected, but they are more than glad to know that Bolden is now cancer free. In the days following his surgery, Bolden did not learn about his temporary facial paralysis until he attempted to walk himself to the bathroom.
“I jump up, start walking around the room or what little bit that I can… I walk past the mirror… I was like ‘Am I tripping or is my face melting off? What the **** is going on?’ I had no function [in the right side of my face.] I walk out the bathroom like ‘Y’all didn’t tell me I look like Two Face from ****ing Batman?'”
Using humor to help console his loved ones, Bolden stood his ground in the fight against cancer. Having gained a new appreciation and outlook on life, Bolden made a successful return to the NFL where he played for five more seasons, totaling 482 rushing yards on 88 carries.
Bolden’s story is a testament to the adversity that one faces when experiencing such an illness. Now serving as an advocate for health and wellness, Bolden supports numerous funds that allow access to cancer screenings for impoverished communities.
