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In late May, the Las Vegas Raiders placed tight end Nick O’Leary on the Reserve / NFI list. At the time, many thought he was hanging on the cues forever, but O’Leary revealed Monday that he was dealing with a serious heart problem that was jeopardizing his career. According to the Palm Beach PostO’Leary underwent surgery to remove the 100 percent heart block last month, but he is expected to make a full recovery and hopes to resume his soccer career next season. O’Leary underwent angioplasty on May 19, one of two procedures he had to correct this problem.
“I feel good,” said O’Leary. “I feel better than before. I have to take blood thinners for six months to a year. That’s really the only reason I can’t play soccer now. If they cut me, they would tell me that being the biggest problem, I wouldn’t be able to stop the bleeding. “
O’Leary was exercising when he felt a sharp pain in his left arm that moved to his chest, and it was a pain that returned again while playing pickleball with his brother.
“I sarcastically told my brother that something is wrong with my heart, I don’t know what it is,” O’Leary said. “By chance I went to the hospital and they told me it was a heart attack.”
He ended up having to spend three nights at Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center and had two stents placed in the blocked hallway. While he is still not allowed to participate in certain drills, O’Leary says he would still like to resume his NFL career in 2021.
O’Leary became a star during his college career in the state of Florida, and he even won the John Mackey Award during his senior season. He was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the sixth round of the 2015 NFL Draft, and also spent time with the Miami Dolphins and Jacksonville Jaguars before being drawn to the Raiders. In 59 career games, O’Leary has caught 53 passes for 668 yards and four touchdowns while averaging 12.6 yards per reception.
