Randy Moss Returns to ESPN After Successful Treatment for Rare Bile Duct Cancer

Randy Moss, the Pro Football Hall of Famer, made a triumphant return to ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown ahead of the NFL's Week 1 slate after completing treatment for cholangiocarcinoma, a rare form of bile duct cancer.

Footage aired on the program showed Moss ringing the bell at the Atrium Health Levine Cancer Institute in Charlotte to mark the end of his treatment. Moss, 48, thanked his medical team and hugged hospital staff, then joined co-hosts on the set, where Mike Greenberg described the moment as the best video the show would run that day.

Moss said on air that the procedures were finished and asked viewers to "send some shoutout love to my doctors." He identified the surgeon who led the operation as Dr. [John] Martinie and described having undergone a six-hour Whipple procedure. "All my treatment is over and I'm ringing the bell and back with the family," Moss said. He later bumped fists with co-hosts Rex Ryan and Alex Smith and acknowledged teammates and colleagues, including Teddy Bruschi.

The former Minnesota Vikings and New England Patriots wide receiver first drew attention to his health in November when fans noted yellowing of his eyes during an ESPN appearance. In December, Moss announced on an Instagram Live with his sons that he had undergone major surgery, could not walk without a cane and that he had been battling cancer. He called himself "a cancer survivor" after doctors found tumor cells in the bile duct near the pancreas and liver.

Moss stepped away from daily duties at ESPN in December for treatment. He made an emotional, brief return at Super Bowl LIX in February, where he thanked supporters and medical staff following an on-air tribute. On Sunday, he was described by Greenberg as having been welcomed back by "the entire football world."

The Whipple procedure, a complex operation often used to treat cancers of the pancreas or bile ducts, can require extended recovery and follow-up. Moss credited his medical team for their care and expressed gratitude for staff at the Charlotte institute, saying, "I want to thank everybody at this hospital for welcoming me to be a part of their family, of their extended family."

ESPN aired the hospital footage at the top of its Sunday program and noted Moss's emotional return as a highlight for the show's Week 1 coverage. Moss's return to television comes as he continues to recover physically while resuming public appearances and media duties.

Moss finishes his official statement on the program by reiterating his appreciation for the doctors and supporters who accompanied him through treatment. He did not outline any further medical plans on air. The network and Moss's representatives did not immediately provide additional details about follow-up care beyond his announcement that active treatment had concluded.