It was just another practice for the Patriots, but for rookie guard Marcus Cannon, it marked a personal triumph.
After winning his battle with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Cannon took the field with his New England teammates for the first time Tuesday, the Boston Herald reported.
Cannon was diagnosed with the form of cancer just eight days before the April draft, and the Patriots selected him in the fifth round. It's possible the disease would have gone undiscovered following a needle biopsy while Cannon was at TCU, but at least one NFL team requested a full biopsy of the lump on his lower abdomen, which the lineman had lived with since he was 15.
The cancer has been in remission since Cannon's last treatment in July, and many consider him an absolute steal for the Patriots.
So often, the only players in the spotlight are those who star on the field or create tumultuous Twitter drama. But Cannon's fight to get back to a simple practice required something from within that few of us ever will know.
