In 2018, Josh Paschal, a member of the Detroit Lions, found out that he had cancer. It started when he noticed an abnormal bump on the bottom of his foot. When his trainer urged him to check it out, he discovered that he had cancer, and it was already at the 3B stage of growth.
Despite being diagnosed with cancer, Paschal was not broken by the looming threat. Instead, he used this threat as a force to shine brighter. The disease would keep the man in constant pain, but he expressed that he was among the few who could handle it. “A lot of people couldn’t handle this. I really believe God put me in this position to handle this.” Paschal said to Vince Marrow when questioned regarding the pain.
Josh Paschal refused to let this disease bring down his spirits or stop him from helping his team. He has also said, “I tried to constantly push myself to stay joyful throughout the whole time because I wasn’t going to let cancer win,”. Paschal saw the disease as just another battle to win, and like the ones before it, he beat the cancer in the end.
Recently, Josh Paschal has taken part in a documentary that reveals his journey from when he discovered cancer all the way to his victory over the disease and his return to the field. You can find the documentary on YouTube under the name “Inside the Den 2025 Episode 4: A Crucial Catch”. The documentary is roughly 30 minutes long and is an emotional journey, so beware those who cry easily.
It is good to hear about a story of triumph over cancer, and I am happy to hear that Paschal will still be able to participate in professional football despite the incident.
