With nearly 39% of Americans expected to be diagnosed with invasive cancer during their lifetime, raising awareness about the disease has become a mission close to Tony Gonzalez’s heart. For the NFL legend, the cause is deeply personal. In a heartfelt essay for The Players’ Tribune, the former Kansas City Chiefs star opened up about his family’s long battle with cancer, sharing how both his uncles and grandfather were affected by the disease.

Drawing from those experiences, Gonzalez is using his platform to encourage people to prioritize early detection and regular screenings, hoping others can avoid the hardships his family has endured.

“Right now, OJ is having a tough time. He had prostate cancer a while back and had his prostate removed. Since then, the cancer has returned, and it has spread into his bones. He is going through a lot, and it is not only sad, but it is scary,” Gonzalez wrote. “One of my other uncles, Roger, passed away from prostate cancer.”

Tony Gonzalez’s uncle, OJ, was one of his biggest supporters. Before Tony retired at 37, the two would spend hours talking not only about life but also about football. Despite never playing the sport himself, OJ had a genuine passion for the game and was endlessly curious about its finer details. He would ask questions about coaches, strategies, formations, and the reasoning behind certain plays.

For Gonzalez, those conversations meant a great deal.

“My grandfather passed away when I was young from colon cancer that stemmed from issues with his prostate,” he added. “Cancer runs through my family the way it runs through so many families. And what is happening to OJ could happen to my dad. It could happen to my brother. It could happen to me.”

Prostate cancer has been the most common non-skin cancer in American men. According to the National Cancer Institute, an estimated 333,830 new cases and 36,320 deaths are projected in the United States.

But despite these high numbers, the disease has a 98.2% five-year relative survival rate. Hence, Tony Gonzalez wants to raise awareness about this issue, as prostate cancer doesn’t need to be an end-all be-all situation, as it is very curable only if it’s detected early.

“That is why I am so adamant about men getting screened, especially as we get older,” Gonzalez wrote. “Prostate cancer is something we can fight, especially when it is detected early. But it starts with us being willing to have the conversation, go to the doctor, and take the test. For a lot of men, screening can begin with a simple blood test. That is not a big ask when you think about what is at stake.”

But this article isn’t Gonzalez’s first step towards raising awareness about these grave issues. Alongside several top tight ends, he was involved in a commercial with Novartis called “Relax, it’s a Blood Test,” which aired during Super Bowl LX. Except for him, the commercial included Delanie Walker, Greg Olsen, Rob Gronkowski, George Kittle, Vernon Davis, Colby Parkinson, and Bruce Arians.

As Tony Gonzalez and his tight end crew continue to raise awareness about prostate cancer, they aren’t alone in this plight, as fellow NFL legend Bo Jackson has also taken significant steps earlier this year regarding this issue.

Like Tony Gonzalez, Bo Jackson raises awareness about prostate cancer

While Gonzalez and the tight ends took the Super Bowl week by storm with their incredible campaign to raise awareness about prostate cancer during the Super Bowl, they found support in legend Bo Jackson, who also began his journey to raise awareness about this disease. When Jackson burst onto the scene, he was poised to be a two-sport great, but injuries took that dream away.

Later in his life, he continued to deal with health issues as he was handed the grave news about prostate cancer. Now, after beating cancer, the former Las Vegas Raiders legend was promoting his podcast, Bo Knows Men’s Health, around the Big Game earlier this year to raise awareness about the issue. During an appearance on the Dan Patrick Show for promotions, Bo Jackson shared his experience dealing with prostate cancer and why men need to address this issue as soon as possible.

“I am a cancer survivor,” the 63-year-old said back in February. “I had my prostate taken out. And this is coming from somebody that a lot of men around the country look up to. If I can talk about it, we should talk about it as men.”

While Tony Gonzalez and Bo Jackson have taken different approaches, they are using their fame to raise awareness about prostate cancer. The disease has affected both of their lives personally. And now, they want men to get screened early because catching it in time can save lives.