Vikings' prayers go out to Udeze

The defensive end has leukemia, but no one's saying which type he has or the prognosis.
By JUDD ZULGAD and CHRIS MILLER, Star Tribune staff writers
Last update: February 12, 2008 - 11:08 PM

A season-ending knee injury, like the one Vikings defensive end Kenechi Udeze suffered early in the 2005 season, is almost routine for an NFL player.

Leukemia is not. As word spread among Udeze's teammates that he had been diagnosed with the disease, they were shocked.

"It's way beyond football -- it's about life,'' said receiver Bobby Wade. "With that said, there's no doubt in my mind that if anybody can overcome something like that, it would be Kenechi. He's a positive person. Always a stand-up guy."

The exact diagnosis for Udeze, 24, was unclear Tuesday.

The Viking did not specifically address his condition, but coach Brad Childress released a statement that read: "With reports surfacing about Kenechi Udeze's condition, we respect the privacy of Kenechi. The thoughts and prayers of the entire Minnesota Vikings organization are with Kenechi and his family."

Sources said Udeze was at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester early last week and is now at a Twin Cities hospital receiving treatment.

Said Udeze's agent, Ethan Lock: "I'm not qualified to say anything about it."

Udeze was married last year; he and his wife, Terrica, had a daughter, Bailey, on Nov. 28.
Leukemia is a disease that affects blood-forming cells. It begins in the bone marrow and is characterized by an abundance of white blood cells in the body.

Several Vikings players were in Hawaii over the weekend for the Pro Bowl. The team had seven players in the game, and several others who attended as guests of players. Vikings owner Zygi Wilf was host for a party for the players, who were told of Udeze's situation by defensive line coach Karl Dunbar.

"I was in disbelief," said defensive end Spencer Johnson, a guest of Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kevin Williams. "I called KU and talked to him and his spirits are really up.

"KU's been in the greatest shape. He's been taking care of his body, and for something like this to happen to him is a total shock to us. I don't understand why it happened, but God don't make mistakes -- I told KU that."

Udeze played in all 16 games during the past season, getting 53 tackles and five sacks. The team's first-round choice (20th overall) out of Southern Cal in the 2004 NFL draft has one year remaining on his contract, which will pay him $807,500 next season. Udeze was an All-America as a junior in 2003, when the Trojans won a national title, and declared early for the draft.

"Kenechi's got a big battle on his hands," USC coach Pete Carroll said in a statement. "We've been talking with him and we will continue to support him and send our good wishes and prayers his way."

In four seasons with the Vikings, Udeze played in 50 games and has 139 tackles, including 11 sacks. He missed 13 games during the 2005 season after having surgery on his left knee, and returned to start 15 games in 2006, although he did not have a sack that season.

"I can't describe what was going on with no sacks," he said before last season. "All I can say is that will never happen again."

In last season's opening game, against Atlanta, he ended the sackless streak by hauling down Falcons quarterback Joey Harrington on the game's final play. Udeze had a season-high 10 tackles in the Vikings' season finale in Denver.

Linebacker Chad Greenway was stunned when told about Udeze.

"There's a very big concern," said Greenway. "He's our brother and we wouldn't want anything like that to happen to anyone in our family. We're very shocked. This is something nobody anticipates, especially at 24 years of age.

"We just want to show him as much support as we can."

Wade found out about Udeze's condition late last week while in the Twin Cities for arthroscopic knee surgery.

"As shocking as this is for him, it definitely opens the eyes of every other player as well," Wade said. "Things can jump on you in a week's notice. ... I just want to be as positive as possible, because that's what you need. I'm just praying for him."

SKOL UDEZE!!!!