Public figure
What Mark Herzlich's Story Can Help Us Understand About Ewing Sarcoma
The football star was treated for Ewing sarcoma, returned to the field, and won a Super Bowl. Here is what that rare bone cancer means, explained calmly.
Please note: this page is educational only — it is not medical advice, and it does not speculate about anyone’s health beyond reliable public reporting. For questions about your own health, talk with your healthcare team.
The news
Mark Herzlich was a standout college football linebacker at Boston College, earning All-America honors, before he was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a rare bone cancer, in 2009. After treatment, he returned to play college football and then joined the New York Giants, where he was part of the team that won Super Bowl XLVI. He has since become an outspoken cancer advocate and broadcaster.
That is what he has shared publicly. We describe his experience only in the terms he and reputable coverage have made known.
Why people are talking about it
Herzlich's return to elite football after cancer treatment is one of the most striking comeback stories in sports, and he has used his platform to raise awareness of childhood and young-adult cancers. His experience is often cited when Ewing sarcoma comes up.
What this cancer means
According to the National Cancer Institute, bone cancer is rare and includes several types. NCI notes that some bone cancers, including osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma, are seen most often in children and young adults. Ewing sarcoma can form in bone or in the soft tissue around it. Understanding a specific diagnosis and its stage is something a healthcare team can explain for any individual.
What to remember
Every person's situation is different, and one athlete's recovery cannot tell any individual how their own illness will unfold. Herzlich's story is not medical advice. What it can do is bring attention to a rare cancer that most often affects young people, and to the value of specialized care.
Awareness, screening, and prevention
NCI states that it does not have evidence-based information about screening for or prevention of bone cancer, and points readers to its general cancer screening and prevention overviews. In other words, there is no routine screening test for these cancers. Persistent bone pain, swelling, or a lump that does not resolve are worth raising with a healthcare professional, especially in children and young adults. Our free screening check-up tool is a gentle way to think through what health conversations may be worth having.
Turning a story into something useful
Knowing that Ewing sarcoma most often affects children and young adults, that it is a rare bone cancer, and that persistent bone symptoms deserve attention are calm, practical takeaways. Supporting free, trustworthy cancer education helps this reach more people.
Questions to ask a healthcare team
- What symptoms of bone cancer should prompt evaluation?
- How is a bone tumor diagnosed?
- What does treatment for Ewing sarcoma generally involve?
- Where can I find reliable, plain-language information about this cancer?