‘It’s a dark place to be’

Foster Moreau’s story was already a great one. Simply coming back from a cancer diagnosis in March to play for the New Orleans Saints this season was good enough. A touchdown in the final minute on Thursday, with the Saints trailing by seven points, would’ve added an unbelievable chapter.

Not all stories wrap up that perfectly, however.

Anyone with a heart had to feel for Moreau on Thursday. His storybook touchdown, delivered perfectly by Derek Carr to him in the end zone, bounced off his hands. That massive drop came on third down. On fourth down, Carr’s pass was batted away, and the Jacksonville Jaguars held on for a 31-24 win.

In the final seconds, the Amazon Prime Video broadcast showed Moreau sitting on the Saints bench, his head in his hands, as teammates consoled him.

The Saints made plenty of mistakes in the loss, particularly in the first half. But it wasn’t surprising to see Moreau take his drop hard on the sideline as the game was ending.

“It’s tough,” Moreau said via Katherine Terrell of ESPN. “In front of every man, woman and child I’ve ever known. It’s a dark place to be. It’s the National Football League. It doesn’t come down to one play, but it comes down to one play.”

Moreau is one of the NFL’s most inspiring stories. In March, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, which was discovered during a physical with the Saints as part of his free-agent visit. In July, he announced that the cancer was in full remission. In Week 5, he scored his first touchdown with the Saints, a remarkable milestone in his comeback. He is a New Orleans native and went to LSU, and his story had come full-circle.

Moreau’s comeback story is still an amazing one. He has already overcome a lot more than dropping a pass in a game.