Rick Upchurch, the former Denver Bronco who was one of the best punt returners in NFL history, is battling leukemia and attempting to raise money to pay for his treatment.
The Chieftain newspaper in Pueblo, Colorado reports that Upchurch has leukemia and is receiving chemotherapy that costs about $10,000 a month. The Chieftain doesn’t make clear whether Upchurch, who played for the Broncos from 1975 to 1983, has health insurance or any other means to pay for his treatment, but he participated in a fundraiser in Pueblo over the weekend.
“I am not the first and I won’t be the last, so for all the cancer survivors and everybody that is going through it right now, we are all going through it together and we can defeat this,” Upchurch said.
Upchurch led the league in punt return average three times and in punt return touchdowns three times, and he was selected to four Pro Bowls.