Former Vikings player Randy Moss stepping away from ‘Sunday NFL Countdown’ to focus on health
Less than a week after revealing a health issue, ESPN says Pro Football Hall of Famer and former Minnesota Vikings wider receiver Randy Moss will be stepping away from “Sunday NFL Countdown” to “focus on a personal health challenge.”
As reported on Monday, Moss announced on Instagram from the show’s set that he was dealing with a health issue and was asking fans to pray for both him and his family. He also directed his message to men, urging them to get checkups and bloodwork done.
Neither Moss nor ESPN has specified the illness. However, in his message posted days ago, he put on a pair of sunglasses after asking for prayers, adding that “People were talking about my eyes last week.” He said that “I’m battling something, man, and it’s something internal, your boy is going to get through it. I got a great team of doctors and got a great family around me.”
ESPN announced the news late Friday morning on social media, saying Moss won’t be on the show “for an extended time”, and that he has “been an invaluable member of the team, consistently elevating Countdown with his insight and passion.”
The statement added he has ESPN’s “full support, and we look forward to welcoming him back when he is ready.”
Moss played 14 seasons for the Minnesota Vikings, Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, Tennessee Titans and San Francisco 49ers. He ranks second to Jerry Rice with 156 touchdown catches and had 982 catches for 15,292 yards.
Moss was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018. He was joined in the video by ESPN colleagues Rex Ryan, a former coach, and Alex Smith, a retired quarterback.