There was arguably no one feeling more fortunate to be on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ practice field Wednesday than new offensive tackle Calvin Anderson. Not just because he just signed with the team and can continue his NFL career. But because just over a year ago, doctors weren’t sure if he’d survive the night.
Speaking with reporters Wednesday, Anderson detailed his harrowing journey.
“I was telling these guys,” he said via the team website. “I have much more gratitude for my ability to play and every chance I get to do that. I legitimately almost lost my life a little more than a year ago.”
Anderson’s background is much more than just athlete. An ordained minister, he was doing charity work in Nigeria just before training camp last year when he contracted malaria. Running a fever over 104, doctors said he had a 50-50 chance to survive and that had he shown up at the hospital any later, he likely would’ve died.
In an interview with The Boston Globe, Anderson credits his wife for forcing him to go to the hospital after just returning to the United States.
“It was past the point of me getting checked out and thinking it was some sort of flu or whatever,” he told The Globe’s Christopher Price. “Everybody knew something else was happening with the exception maybe of me.
“I had woken up now, and was moving around a bit, and I started to understand that I wasn’t functioning normally. When I got there, I almost passed out.”
According to the interview, Calvin Anderson is the first known active NFL player in history to come down with the disease. That meant the league wasn’t sure how to handle his status. The Patriots placed him on the Non-Football Injury list at the beginning of training camp until he recovered. After four days in the hospital and plenty of bed rest, he was activated from NFI in late August.
Still, his year wouldn’t be over with medial issues. After appearing in five games and starting two of them, Anderson took a hit to the chest during practice later that year. He was diagnosed with a heart contusion, a rare football injury, and was placed on injured reserve, ending his season in early November.
He returned to the Patriots this summer under new head coach Jerod Mayo. But another injury, this time a more conventional one, landed on him IR in late August and led to his release. Now, he’s on the Steelers’ 53-man roster as top depth with rookie OT Troy Fautanu out for the regular season. Anderson’s journey has put everything into perspective.
“So certainly grateful and it’s awesome to be a part of this team with these guys that I’ve met. More excited about the people than the record,” he said.
Needing proven offensive linemen, the Steelers are just as excited to have Anderson.
