Last week, Jake Haener revealed that he was diagnosed with a rare form of skin cancer. The New Orleans Saints' reserve quarterback has been showing up to training camp with a bandage on his right cheek, and it looks like he won't be with the team to begin next week's activities. Haener will be missing the Saints' practice on Monday, as he is set to undergo an operation to address the diagnosis.
“I think there’s going to be a procedure that is going to take place Monday,” Saints head coach Dennis Allen said, per NOLA.com's Luke Johnson. “My anticipation as we sit here today is that he’ll probably miss practice on Monday, we have an off day on Tuesday, and I expect him to be back full go on Wednesday”
Haener reportedly noticed a lump on his face and decided to get it checked prior to the start of training camp.
More on Jake Haener
Selected in the 2023 NFL draft, Jake Haener entered the pros after four years in college. He played with Washington football in his freshman year, then transferred to Fresno State, where he would spend the next three seasons as the starting QB.
Statwise, Haener had his best season in 2021. As a Junior, he threw for a total of 4,096 yards and 33 touchdowns to lead the Bulldogs to a 10-3 overall record (6-2 in conference). He tallied less yards in his senior year, but his efficiency improved. In 2022, the quarterback completed 72% of his pass attempts, finishing with a pass efficiency rating of 158.6.
Haener has yet to see action in an NFL game, and at the moment, he's intent on doing just that by battling for the Saints' backup QB spot in training camp. Following the departure of Jameis Winston, the competition for QB2 had opened up. The current top candidates are Haener and Spencer Rattler, a rookie out of South Carolina.
Jake Haener's operation on Monday might be a setback, but his predicted return on Wednesday shows that he won't let his ordeal stop him from battling for that backup spot.
A similar case last year
On the topic of cancer, the Saints have dealt with two cases in the past two years. Back in March of 2023, tight end Foster Moreau was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma after an enlarged lymph note was detected on his collarbone. Due to this, he had to spend time away from football and prioritize his treatment. Three months later, Moreau announced that his cancer was in full remission, signaling a return to the field.
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