After tackling cancer, Medford's Matt Mitchell ready to start his college football career

MEDFORD - Medford's Matt Mitchell was determined to play college football. "(Division) I, DII, DIII. I didn't care," Matt said. "I was just ready to play."

After shining at St. John's Prep in Danvers where he earned all-conference honors and helped the Eagles win two Super Bowls, he committed to Union College in New Jersey. But those dreams of playing at the collegiate level came to a screeching halt right before the start of this past season. Leaving Matt needing to tackle a new opponent.

"I have cancer at 19-years-old. What am I going to do? Like, how is my life going to look? Where am I going to be? I had all these plans to go play football and to go get an education," he said.

What was first believed to be a cyst on his face turned out to be lymphoma. This required Matt to undergo surgery at Brigham and Women's Hospital in August.

"We're going to have to cut you, like we're doing plastic surgery. They ended up cutting underneath the side of my ear. They were like, 'You got to do three (to) four weeks of chemo or radiation," he said.

Aside from getting his body healthy again, he had another motivator in mind.

"The thought of playing football never left my mind," he said. "That was just something that I knew I always wanted to do."

"When Matt found out he was like, 'Yes. Another competition. Here we go,'" said Malcolm Mitchell, Matt's father.

Matt finally enrolled into Union earlier this month. While his cancer is currently in remission, he must disclose his cancer any time he fills out medical forms. But he's been cleared to play football and intends to play this fall to finally make his dream come true.

"I just cannot wait until that day," his mother Carla Mitchell said. "I cannot wait until he steps foot on that field again."

"When I get on that field for the first time, I'm going to give it everything because it was all taken away from me," said Matt.