Bryce Steele: Proving Himself Right
How College Football Player Bryce Steele Has Navigated a Four-Year Cancer Journey
Bryce Steele is entering his fifth season of college football at Boston College. It’s been a long journey, but his goal for the season remains the same.
“I just want to be the best teammate I can be,” Bryce said.
Diagnosis and Treatment Journey
A standout football recruit from Raleigh, N.C., Bryce was a four-star prospect, attracting offers from elite programs. During his junior year (2019) at Episcopal High School in Virginia, he developed a persistent cough and chest pains. Thinking it might be sports-related, he continued playing.
After a hard hit left him unusually slow to recover, he visited a doctor. Scans revealed a malignant tumor behind his heart—thymoma. At 17, Bryce underwent surgery followed by 30 rounds of proton radiation, a healthier alternative to radiation for a 17 year-old athlete.“After every appointment, I would go back to school and train. Luckily, the side effects were mainly fatigue, hair loss in the area and color change of skin tone. I was able to continue being a football player at the time.”
His senior season was canceled by the pandemic, so he enrolled early at Boston College in 2021. Unfortunately, a routine scan at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute revealed new spots, prompting another minor procedure in May.
“Luckily I was only sidelined for a couple of weeks, and I was able to still train with the team and play as a true freshman.”
The pattern continued. “Then, going into the sophomore season, kind of the same thing happened. The cancer came back; they went in again and removed those nodules. I was only sidelined for a couple of weeks and then I was able to play.”
In 2023, ahead of his junior season, the cancer returned again—this time more aggressively. “I said let’s just go ahead and get this quick surgery over with so I can get back to training and being with my teammates. They sat me down and explained this isn’t going to be the same surgery as it was before.”
To reduce the cancer prior to surgery, chemotherapy was recommended, which Bryce began in July. The side effects were much harsher than the previous proton radiation. Later that fall, he underwent a complex, 15-hour surgery.
Initially, doctors wanted to operate through the sternum, risking the end of Bryce’s football career.
“I respectfully told him we’re going to have to find another way to go at this thing… I’m going to continue to chase that dream until somebody or my body physically tells me I can’t do that anymore.”
After a month-long hospital stay, Bryce gained a new perspective watching others go through cancer treatment.
“I’m in complete remission. I was blessed to have a team of some of the best doctors and surgeons in the world. Even though the surgery was larger than what I wanted it to be, at the end of the day, the goal was to make sure that this cancer never comes back.”
“It was tough mentally and physically for me and my family. Without them and the support from Boston College and without my relationship with God, I don’t think I would’ve made it through everything.”
Research Saves Lives
With thymoma being rare – only about 400 cases a year in the U.S. – Bryce’s doctors requested to document his case to aid future research.
“At first, I was kind of feeling like a little test dummy and I wasn’t really for it, but after talking to my mom and thinking about it, my perspective changed and if I could use my situation to help others, then I’m going to do it.”
This appreciation for research and a mutual connection led Bryce to connect with the V Foundation for Cancer Research, which has funded nearly $400 million in game-changing cancer research since 1993.
“We have extremely smart scientists and doctors doing a lot of research on forms of cancer, but people are dying every day from the lack of opportunities and lack of research. Having a foundation that donates 100% of their [direct donations] to help finding cures for cancer, it means a lot just being able to save as many lives as you can.”
Back on the Field
Bryce’s return to the field for Boston College’s 2025 season opener against Fordham will be a triumph of persistence. Doctors once told him he might never play again.“I remember those exact dates. I remember the words verbatim. I just used that as motivation to prove them wrong, and to also prove myself right. I’m doing this for the younger Bryce who dreamed of playing in the NFL one day.”
As he takes the field, he’ll look to the stands for one of his biggest supporters – his mother, Nicholle.
“The joy she gets from watching me put on a helmet every time I go out on the field, it’s a feeling unmatched, being able to see her smile.”
On August 30, Bryce will prove himself right.
