There was a time when Joshua Hines-Allen was known solely for breaking offensive lines and franchise records. In 2023, he racked up 17.5 sacks, the most in Jaguars history, cementing himself as one of the league’s most feared edge rushers. The following offseason, Jacksonville handed him a $150 million contract, the biggest ever in team history at the time. He was the face of the defense. The force teams had to scheme around.

Then came Week 18 of the 2024 season, and Hines-Allen was inactive. Officially, it was listed as a ‘personal matter.’ Unofficially, fans were puzzled. No injury, no drama. Just silence. Behind the scenes, the Hines-Allen family was fighting something far bigger than football. Something no stat sheet could quantify. Kaitlyn, Josh’s wife, said, “Knowing potentially that it could be leukemia, he [Josh] had to call and inform his head coach that perhaps he’s going to miss the last game of the season.”

On Thursday, Josh finally opened up. In a heartfelt X post, he revealed his son Wesley was diagnosed with leukemia seven months ago. “The dreaded six-letter word no parent ever wants to hear: Cancer,” Hines-Allen wrote in a powerful post on X. “Seven months ago, our world stopped when our son, Wesley, was diagnosed with leukemia.” But that wasn’t the only news – Hines-Allen also announced the launch of Four One For Hope, a new campaign under his foundation that will support four cancer-focused nonprofits throughout the NFL regular season.

The story unfolded quietly behind the scenes, while the rest of the league kept moving. Kaitlyn, Josh’s wife, recalled how the symptoms started: “We spent the weekend at Disney…and that night he [Wesley] was bleeding a little bit from his tooth.” At first, they thought it was nothing. A rough tooth. A common fever. But things spiraled quickly. “It just didn’t get better, and the bleeding was consistent every day,” Josh said. “Kate called me, ‘hey we’re at we’re going to the hospital. I need you to go home and pack a bag for Wes.’” He was leaving practice. He still didn’t think much of it.

But by that night, everything changed. “Then later that night came back, pulled us out, and they told us that he had leukemia,” Josh said. “And then…it just kind of hit me, and then nothing else mattered after that.” For months, the family stayed quiet. Focused on treatment. Focused on Wesley. It wasn’t just the chemo – they were told Wesley would need follow-up tests for the next 21 years. “Dr. Bechtel came in and she let us know it’s going to be a long journey,” Kaitlyn said. But the Jacksonville community? They showed up. Hard. “The nurses at Nemours have been super helpful, super kind,” Josh said. 

Now, Wesley is back to swimming. Back to running. Back to being a big brother. “He knows we have to go back to Nemours for an hour a day,” Josh smiled, “but we don’t have to do treatment no more.” And with Wesley on his way to recovery, Hines-Allen is ready to give back. Through their nonprofit, Four One For All, the family is launching Four One For Hope.

The ‘Four One For Hope’ initiative will roll out in September, supporting organizations like the American Cancer Society and the Ronald McDonald House. A launch event is set for mid-August, coinciding with Wesley’s bell-ringing ceremony at Nemours. “Every family deserves to feel the same love that saved us,” Hines-Allen said. He’s not just using his platform – he’s building one for others to stand on. But even though Hines-Allen has been going through an unimaginable private battle, his career hasn’t taken a step back. In fact, the NFL just gave him a nod that few defenders ever get.

Joshua Hines-Allen rises on and off the field

Even though Hines-Allen spent the past seven months focused on his son’s fight with leukemia, the league didn’t forget what he brings on Sundays. In fact, the players voted him into the NFL’s Top 100, landing him at No. 63 heading into the 2025 season. Stats aside, that’s a nod of pure respect. Despite a drop in sack numbers – eight in 2024 compared to his monster 17.5 the year before – he still ranked top 10 in pressures and was 17th in pass-rush win rate. 

And now, he’s adjusting again. Last year, former defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen had him bulk up – maybe a little too much. “I was 285,” Hines-Allen said of his playing weight. “I was much bigger. My mindset was always to be as dominant, but it was, obviously, holding a little bit more weight puts a little more wear and tear on the body. It was a lot. Too much.”

That lesson stuck. “Something I tried, and something I’m like, alright, probably don’t want to do that again,” he said. “So we’re working on maintaining a good goal for me this year and put some good tape out there.” With Anthony Campanile now running the defense and a more aggressive scheme coming, Hines-Allen may be primed to bounce back to his 2023 form – and then some.

But for Hines-Allen, football isn’t the only fight that matters. “My son needs his father,” he said. The NFL can keep its rankings. Wesley’s recovery? That’s the only win that truly counts. Everything else – contracts, stats, even sacks – just fades into the background. When your child rings the bell after beating cancer, no accolade compares. For Josh Hines-Allen, the game goes on, but the meaning has forever changed.