Former Oregon WR Jaylon Redd Had Surgery in January After Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosis

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Former Oregon wide receiver Jaylon Redd underwent surgery in January after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

“Now that everything’s over, this is my time to look forward with my career and what I want to do right now,” he said to The Oregonian‘s Aaron Fentress.

Redd suffered a season-ending injury last November. While recuperating after Oregon’s loss to Utah in the Pac-12 title game, the 23-year-old checked into a hospital due to stomach discomfort. Doctors performed additional testing, which revealed a cancerous tumor in his pancreas.

Redd scheduled his surgery for Jan. 31, and Fentress reported he was “feeling completely normal” five weeks later.

The process was made more difficult for the family because they couldn’t visit Redd in the hospital for a week due to the facility’s COVID-19 restrictions. His father, Fred, described it as “the craziest time for me and my wife” to Fentress.

Now, Redd is hopeful of advancing his career on the gridiron.

“I’m feeling good,” the 5’9″ pass-catcher told Fentress. “I’m ready to get back into it. I’m ready to go. My hope is for somebody to give me an opportunity.”

Redd spent five seasons at Oregon, capitalizing on the additional year of eligibility athletes received due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He finished with 131 receptions for 1,435 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also carried the ball 24 times for 179 yards and five scores.

Akron head coach Joe Moorhead, who was Oregon’s offensive coordinator in 2020 and 2021, told Fentress that Redd’s IQ on the field “is off the charts.” Moorhead went on to say the wideout’s versatility could prove valuable in the NFL.