I hope John Metchie scores tonight, and here’s why.

After over a year of battling with leukemia, John Metchie will make his NFL debut tonight. Knowing this, I wanted to share a story with y'all from the training camp I went to two days ago.

I met a lot of fans while I was there, ranging from people my age to kids that were seeing the players for the first time. But the fan I had the most interesting experience with was an elderly man, in his early 70's probably, who I'll call Bradley. He was decked out in both the team's merchandise and rainbow tie dye, walked with a cane, and his hair practically glowed under the sun. He was a very joyous dude who was smiling and talking with anyone that would listen, but he had come for a very specific reason.

See, Bradley had been battling leukemia for a couple of years and had recently gotten into remission. I think part of the reason he was so positive and enjoyable was because he didn't really know how much time he had left, so he wanted to savor what he got, y'know?

He had come to the training camp having written a letter for one specific player, Metchie himself. I think Bradley deeply emphasized with a part of Metchie, the part that experienced waves of pain and radiation, the part that has to question if his days are numbered. Bradley wanted badly to get his letter to Metchie and to thank him for being an inspiration.

Before the practice started, when the players were coming out to warm up, I tried to help Bradley get his attention. It didn't work, sadly. The crowd of fans was too loud, so we just ended up going to our seats to watch the drills. But as the team sessions were going on, the owners came out. Bradley drew their attention, and one of them (I think it was Hannah McNair) took his letter and promised to get it to him.

When the practice wrapped up, fans got the chance to see the players leave the field and ask for autographs. That was where I spoke to Bradley again, and he was sporting a million-watt smile. He'd told me that the owner he had talked to had gotten him a chance to meet with his new hero. We were near the front of the little barricade separating players from fans, so I was able to watch it happen. A security guard led him onto the edge of the practice field. He got a few minutes, an autograph and a hug from Metchie, and I really think that meant more to him than a hundred autographs would have meant to me or most of the fans there that day. Bradley got the chance to tell his new hero how valued he was on a more personal level than just being good at football.

There are a lot of reasons I hope Metchie goes on to have a successful career, especially here, as a Texan. But after Tuesday's camp, I have another. I know that it's. little corny, but whenever Metchie makes a big play, whenever he scores, somewhere in the Houston area an old man to going to jump up and cheer for him.

F**k Cancer. Go Texans. Go Metchie. That's all.