Jeremy Maclin has been cleared to play after months of tests for a type of cancer, according to a report, ending speculation about the mysterious illness that has kept the Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver from participating in training camp.
Maclin was being tested for lymphoma and had his lymph nodes removed in a procedure last week, according to the report by FoxSports.com, which said Maclin received his final negative test results on Wednesday.
The wide receiver said he was suffering from an inflammatory virus that has left his body and will be OK to play once he has healed from his surgery.
"I was tested for everything and every single test came back negative," Maclin told the website's Jay Glazer in an interview. "I don't have mono, I don't have AIDS, leukemia, all the things people were guessing on, there was nothing.
"I was being tested for lymphoma and thank God everything has come back negative."
The Eagles haven't spoken yet about Maclin's ordeal, but the wide receiver said they knew what he was going through and "were like family during this."
Maclin, of course, was the focus of scattershot rumors concerning his health and absence from the team, especially after returning to his hometown of St. Louis last week.
Maclin saw limited reps in training camp due to the illness, working out on a separate field as team medical personnel struggled to figure out what was wrong.
The 23-year-old posted career-bests with 70 catches for 964 yards and 10 touchdowns in 16 games with the Eagles last season, his second in the NFL.
Maclin said in the interview that he doesn't wish the type of scare he had on anyone. He said he couldn't wait "to get back out there and just resume my normal life."
Philadelphia signed former Giants wide receiver Steve Smith to a one-year contract last week, a move that was seen by some as the team hedging its bets against any long-term absence by Maclin.
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