Jon Dorenbos, the NFL long snapper who’s also a famous magician, has been diagnosed with a serious heart condition.
Dorenbos was traded from the Eagles to the Saints during the preseason, and Saints coach Sean Payton told reporters today that Dorenbos has an aortic aneurysm and will need heart surgery immediately.
According to Payton, the condition was discovered during a physical exam, and the discovery may have saved Dorenbos’ life.
Long snappers are usually overlooked in the NFL, but Dorenbos is well known for many television appearances in which he shows off his magic skills. Dorenbos became involved in magic during his childhood, and he has opened up about how it gave him something to hold onto after his father murdered his mother when he was 12.
The 37-year-old Dorenbos played 11 years for the Eagles, two for the Titans and two for the Bills. His NFL career may now be over, and the greater concern is his life.