He has faced down fearsome defensive linemen and suffered the pain of broken bones and defeat, but now Montreal Alouettes quarterback Anthony Calvillo is confronting a foe of another, more sinister sort.
The 38-year-old pivot, who guided his team to a second consecutive Grey Cup last month, underwent surgery on Tuesday to have his thyroid gland removed after pathologists discovered cancerous cells in a lesion they cut from the gland last week.
The Los Angeles native stunned the country's football community when he revealed after the Grey Cup game that doctors discovered the lesion this past summer - he kept the condition under wraps and opted to postpone surgery until after the season.
Calvillo is slated to undergo a course of radiation therapy next month, the club said his prognosis is excellent and he is expected to make a full recovery.
According to a statement issued by team officials, the surgery "went well and there were no surprises."
Though Calvillo will now have to take hormone-replacement medication, he expects to resume his off-season training in February and the team says he will be ready for training camp next June.
Calvillo, who wasn't available for comment, will become a free agent this winter, although it's widely expected he will sign up for a 14th season in Als colours (and 18th overall in the CFL). The three-time Grey Cup champion is second to Damon Allen on the CFL's career passing yardage list and stands a strong chance of setting the new record next year.