ESPN announces NFL legend Randy Moss is stepping away days after he announced he was 'battling something' on air

Randy Moss is stepping away from ESPN for the foreseeable future. The network shared the news after the retired NFL legend said on air that he was "battling something."

"Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy Moss will step away from Sunday NFL Countdown for an extended time to focus on a personal health challenge," ESPN announced in a statement on Friday. "He briefly addressed the matter at the start of the show on Dec. 1. For nearly a decade, Randy has been an invaluable member of the team, consistently elevating Countdown with his insight and passion. He has ESPN's full support, and we look forward to welcoming him back when he is ready."

Over his 14-season career in the NFL playing for multiple teams (most notably the Minnesota Vikings and New England Patriots), Moss set a new standard for wide receivers and still holds multiple records for most touchdown receptions in a single season. He retired after the 2012-2013 season, joined Sunday NFL Countdown in 2016, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.

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On the Dec. 1 edition of Countdown, Moss explained that he was "battling something," and that it was affecting his eyes, requiring him to wear sunglasses on TV. He asked fans for their prayers.

"We were talking about my eyes last week, and I just want to let the viewers know that me and my wife, me and my family, we are battling something internally," Moss said on the show. "I have some great doctors around me. I couldn't miss the show, I wanted to be here with you guys, I feel great. But if you see me with these Michigan turnover glasses I have on, it's not me being disrespectful because I'm on television. I'm battling something, I need prayer warriors. God bless you all, and thanks for the prayers."

In solidarity, his cohosts also put on glasses.

Moss is not the first ESPN personality this year to step away from the sports network due to a health problem. Back in September, the network's renowned NBA reporter Adrian Wojnarowski unexpectedly announced that he was leaving his position as the nation's go-to breaker of basketball news to work for his alma mater, St. Bonaventure University. In a new interview with Sports Illustrated published this week, Wojnarowski clarified that part of his reasoning for retirement was a recent diagnosis of prostate cancer (though he says the prognosis is good).

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Meanwhile, go-to college basketball color commentator Dick Vitale underwent surgery for cancer this summer, and revealed on Twitter this week that he is awaiting "a major scan" on Dec. 12 to determine if it was successful.

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