10 NFL Players With Type 1 Diabetes

Mark Andrews type 1 diabetes was diagnosed when he was nine years old. Mark was on his way to a soccer tournament during the diagnosis.

As his father, Paul, was a doctor and his mother, Martha, thoroughly researched diabetes, the Baltimore Ravens tight-end grew up with the constant care and support of his loved ones.

The 27-year-old athlete has a team of people looking after his health and lifestyle maintenance. In his September 2022 interview with GQ, Mark revealed that technology has helped him to manage diabetes a little easier.

He wears a Dexcom and a Tandem pump and wears a continuous glucose monitor off the field for safety. The monitor shares his blood sugar levels with family members, his agent, and the team’s head trainer.

Moreover, the Ravens training staff provides him with separate bottles during games and practices. They serve him Gatorade Zero, which has no sugar or carbs to avoid affecting his blood sugar levels.

Andrews feeds on a pack or two of fruit snacks when his sugar goes low while he reconnects to his pump when his sugar level is high though the latter situation is rare.

His inspiring success story and photo have been included on the UMass Diabetes Center of Excellence Wall of Honor in the hallway alongside the NHL player Max Domi, a Type 1 diabetic.

Chad Muma was 13 years old when he was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. The diagnosis happened at the Barbara Davis Center for Juvenile Diabetes near his Denver home in the presence of his parents.

His first recorded blood sugar was 550, alarming his parents and family. His father, Ty, revealed that it was hereditary as Chad’s cousin had passed away due to T1D complications in the past. 

The late cousin was only 19 at that time. Muma quickly adjusted to fight diabetes and made major changes in his diet and lifestyle.

Muma opted for an insulin pump and daily injections. His mother, Kara, initially looked after the insulin pen injections and also taught other family members to do so.

The NFL linebacker eventually grew up teaching his school friends to inject insulin during school hours. As one of the few active NFL players fighting T1D, Chad volunteers to the awareness of the disease.

He attended the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, aka JDRF’s “One Walk” on the University of North Florida campus, and spoke to around 1,500 children with T1D and their families.

Muma was also successful in raising more than $300,000 in June 2022 for the benefit of the non-profit, per The Florida Times Union.

Moreover, the 27-year-old linebacker continues to shine for Jacksonville Jaguars alongside with teammates Zay Jones and C.J. Beathard.

DeAndre Carter from the Las Vegas Raiders has been diabetic since his high school days. The coach sent him home in August 2007 when he could not stay active during his first-year high school football practice.

After a visit to the hospital, his sugar level showed up high at 740 mmol/L. The Fremont native had it hereditary, but his mother and two sisters all had Type 2 Diabetes instead of T1D.

Moreover, all of them controlled their diabetes with diet and exercise. Carter started using insulin injections and pumps as a last resort.

DeAndre constantly checks his blood sugar before games, at halftime, and after games. He stopped consuming soda and candy but eats more fruits, vegetables, and rice.

Besides his ongoing successful NFL career as a wide receiver and return specialist, he also believes in giving back to the community.

Carter led the December 2019 JDRF’s “My Cause, My Cleats” campaign against T1D and raised funds by auctioning off his signed cleats at NFL Auction.

Former NFL quarterback Jay Cutler type 1 diabetes was diagnosed in May 2008 during his tenure with the Denver Broncos.

Jay had a recorded blood glucose level of 550 mg/dl the first time. He quickly retorted to using an insulin pump and then adapted to regular injections and opted for blood testing before, during and after games.

The 6 feet 3 inches tall athlete also changed his diet by eating more protein and fruit. Jay then switched his team to Chicago Bears the following year, where he inspired a young Mark Andrews to pursue an athletic career while keeping diabetes at bay.

Apart from his success story, Cutler is well-known for his voluntary work and donations to diabetes care centers. He visited Perspectives Charter School in Chicago in 2012 for diabetes awareness and actively works with Johns Hopkins Diabetes Center.

Jay last played with the Miami Dolphins in 2017. The retired NFLer last played was inducted into the Indiana Football Hall of Fame in 2022.

Gray was diagnosed with T1 diabetes when he was 18. The tight end was a freshman at Duke University when he found out about the result of his blood test.

His concerned mother, Meagan, joined a Facebook community, “Proud parents of athletes with Type 1 diabetes,” where she connected with fellow parents to know more about the disease.

The group’s suggestions, especially by Debbie Peele, worked as a motivation factor for the Gray family. Meanwhile, the Kansas City Chief’s tight end changed his way of life drastically.

Noah uses an insulin pump and checks his sugar level with a continuous glucose monitor. He founded the Type 1 Diabetes Outreach Program in December 2019 in Kansas.

The program aims to provide a place to discuss diabetes and its effects on athletes’ lifestyles. Apart from that, it also mentors diabetic children to inspire them to achieve athletic dreams while living with diabetes.

The Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Henry Mondeaux was diagnosed with T1D when he was 15 years old. His younger sister also suffers from the same type of diabetes.

Henry credits his parents and family’s support for making it big in the pro football world despite his medical condition. He constantly monitors his blood glucose levels throughout the day while tracking the amount of carbohydrates in his food.

In regard to his game days, the 27-year-old athlete makes sure to take down his sugar level the night before to avoid dehydration while playing.

Mondeaux constantly checks his blood sugar at halftime and even after the match. Furthermore, he openly advocates for T1D patients and is a part of the Chris Dudley Foundation, which works for diabetes patients.

Henry also gave a tour of Heinz Field to local diabetic students in November 2022 while sharing his story. He also talked about how he maintains his health as a pro athlete with T1D.

Blake Ferguson is another NFL player with diabetes. The Miami Dolphins’ long snapper was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in 2013. 

Blake keeps his diabetes in check with a healthy choice of life as a pro NFLer like his elder brother, Reid. The Ferguson brothers have been advocates for diabetes prevention and research for a long time due to Blake’s condition.

The Georgia native became the No. 1 long snapper in the nation during his high school years. He was also on the LSU football team and won a national championship in 2020. 

Since his NFL draft in 2019, Blake has chosen advanced technology to cope with his high sugar level. He uses a continuous glucose monitor, which his trainers can access during games to correct his insulin.

Ferguson advocated for Tandem Diabetes Care to help other diabetics find better products in the market. He advocated on Capitol Hill and mentored youth for T1D awareness. 

Blake raised funds for JDRF in December 2021 and regularly auctions off his cleats for the non-profit’s “My Cause, My Cleats” movement.

His mom Tracy tries out new healthy recipes to maintain good blood sugars. Her sausage casserole, banana bread, and Cajun spices mixed foods are his favorite. However, Ferguson keeps his sugar in check while eating heartily.

Kevin Rader was in high school when he couldn’t eat any meals despite having a great time at his family’s lake house. He had lost 30 lbs in 3 to 4 days before his diabetes diagnosis.

His first blood sugar level report came to 786 mmol/L, shocking everyone as the Rader did not have any family history of diabetes.

As a pro footballer, Kevin’s daily physical practice and games have helped him maintain a healthy body. Moreover, he regularly takes shots to keep his blood sugars in check.

Tennessee Titans confirmed in 2022 that Rader takes six to eight injections of insulin a day, depending on his activity. He also wears a FreeStyle Libre glucose monitoring system on his upper leg to track his blood sugar level.

The Titans nutrition coordinator Lauren Silvi and head coach Mike Vrabel works closely with him to look after his T1D. While people get shocked hearing about his diabetes, Rader is cool with explaining his condition.

The retired NFLer Kendall Simmons was diagnosed with T1D in 2003. He had only been drafted by the Steelers in the previous season. 

His grandmother who passed away at 90 also fought the same illness. Though Simmons initially did not pay any heed to his diabetes, it made his career go downhill until the 2004 Super Bowl.

Hence, he started taking care of his T1D with the help of a trainer appointed by the diabetes-stricken Rooney family, owner of the Steelers. 

Kendall was taken care of by his special team who looked after his blood sugars during and after his games. He was lastly a part of the Buffalo Bills alongside Demetress Bell in 2008. 

He has been a National Patient Ambassador of Novo Nordisk since 2010. He travels with them to educate people and create awareness about diabetes.

Mike Echols retired from NFL in 2006 having a hard time as a T1D patient. Besides NFL, he also played in the Canadian Football League (CFL).

Echols was diagnosed with T1D before he went pro and took many measures to keep his blood glucose in check. He constantly monitored his blood sugar and diet before and after games.

Mike believes that conditions like diabetes can make one stronger with careful management and encourages aspiring athletes with diabetes to work hard to achieve their goals.

He played football at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. After his retirement, the former NFLer started King Ape Entertainment and remains away from the limelight. The Youngstown native is considered to be one of the well-known footballers with Type 1 Diabetes.