After undergoing treatments for prostate cancer four years ago, the former Florida State Head Coach/Icon Bobby Bowden is coming clean about his condition and subsequent treatments. Back in 2007, Bowden’s prostate cancer was found in a routine physical. After learning that he had prostate cancer, Bowden underwent treatment and has been cancer free ever since. For whatever reason the legendary coach decided to keep mum on his battle with cancer and is just now “coming out” as part of September’s prostate cancer awareness month.
Bowden spoke to USA Today and made an appearance on Good Morning America to shed light on why he kept his cancer a secret.
“I did not understand the significance of prostate cancer back then,” Bowden said in an interview with USA Today. “What I knew was when something like that happens to a coach and your opponents find out about it, the first thing they say is ‘Don’t go to Florida State, Coach Bowden is about to die.’
“If I knew then what I know now, I would have considered it my moral duty to bring it out in the open. I thought it was the right thing to do then, but that’s not the message now.
Bowden was so good at keeping his cancer battle undercover that his recent revelations came to the surprise of many of his former players, including safety/Rhodes Scholar Myron Rolle.
Some feel as if Bowden may have kept his illness back in order to protect the FSU football program and their future recruits. Others feel that he kept quiet so that he could keep his head coach position at the school in order to inch closer to Joe Paterno’s record of wins. One thing is for sure, it’s good to know that the old ballcoach overcame the illness successfully and can now become an advocate for the awareness of the disease.