NFL fans sadly learned that The Athletic’s Jeff Howe will be out of the public eye for the foreseeable future.
Howe covered the New England Patriots from 2009-2021. His work on Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and the franchise’s dynasty led to him becoming one of the best in the industry. By 2018, he agreed to a deal that would make him a national insider for The Athletic.
On Thursday afternoon, Howe announced that he’s taking time off from work to focus on his health.
“Hey everyone, I’ve been privately battling a serious health issue for the past year and a half, and I’ve made a difficult but necessary decision to take time away from work for more aggressive treatment. My hope is to return before the end of the regular season, but I’m not thinking much about that at the moment. Right now, I just need to get better,” Howe posted on social media.
“I’ve been open and honest about my health battles in the past, so I apologize for being coy about this. Hopefully, as soon as I’m ready, I’ll share more about this journey. But again, that’s for another time. For now, I’ll eagerly welcome any encouraging thoughts, prayers, vibes or whatever else you can send my way. This has been the most difficult year of my life, and I can’t be too proud to ask for your support. I’ve always been a fighter, and I need to keep swinging. This has been a battle in every sense of the word. Take care of yourselves. I’ll be back soon.”
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Prayers pouring in for Jeff Howe.
As you’d imagine, Howe’s peers are devastated over this news.
“A good dude who deserves all of our good vibes, prayers and thoughts. We are all rooting for you man. Praying for you,” Kevin Clark of Omaha Productions said.
“Hope everything goes as well as possible, Jeff,” Josh Norris of Yahoo replied.
“Get better soon, Jeff. You’re the man,” David Lombardi of the San Francisco Standard said.
“Praying hard for you, Jeff. Always here to chat if you need anybody,” NFL writer Tyler Dunne wrote. “God bless.”
We’re certainly wishing Howe a full and speedy recovery.
