Just days after Chris Olave helped the New Orleans Saints pull off their fourth straight victory, he faces another unprecedented challenge. And this time, the hurdle isn’t on the gridiron. Instead, Olave will be out with a medical emergency that has brought the whole community together through prayers.

“Chris Olave will be out this week, per source,” NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill reported on X. “A blood clot was detected in his lung. Got caught early before anything bad could happen and will be fine. But not playing this week.”

Shortly after, the journalist also provided another update that eased some of the tension.

“Olave is being discharged from the hospital today,” Underhill informed. “He’s doing well.”

The fourth-year wide receiver was listed on the injury report for an illness after missing Wednesday and Thursday’s practice. With no history of blood clots, Olave is expected to recover by next month and be a part of his team’s offseason program.

Meanwhile, the player also posted a photo of himself from the hospital on Instagram, writing: “Thank you God for everything! Right where I need to be, life is full of unexpected twists & turns & I’m grateful to experience it. Chin up, chest out & keep it pushin. I don’t want ya sympathy just talk to God for me. Bounce back otw!”

While the news is a significant blow to the Saints’ lineup, there’s a sense of relief that Olave’s condition has been detected early, so immediate treatments can be provided to prevent it from becoming something serious. Head coach Kellen Moore also confirmed that the Saints’ medical professionals have been helping the player.

But whatever the case, this is still a dent in the veteran receiver’s plans. Despite suffering from a recurring back issue this season, Olave had a spotless attendance this season. After missing the second half of 2024 with two concussions, he said his goal was to turn up for the team on every single occasion.

“I think it’s going to be my first time in my NFL career playing 17,” Olave had said before the blood clot scare. “It means a lot. One of my goals, one of my main goals for this year is trying to play all 17. Playing through injuries, playing through all that. So I’m super grateful, like I said. Got to give all glory to God to be in this position. We just got to finish next week.”

It also helped that the wide receiver had notable chemistry with rookie quarterback Tyler Shough, evident from Olave’s 27 receptions for 382 yards and four touchdowns in the last four games.

Apart from that, 2025 is also Olave’s career-best with 1,163 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.

Getting sidelined at such a juncture might be hard. Many fans also agree, but they still feel the player should stop thinking about football and recover first.

NFL fans send prayers to Chris Olave

As the news hit social media, prayers began pouring in for Olave. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network expressed the relief of early deduction.

“That’s pretty scary,” he wrote. “But early detection is important.”

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The news came as a shock, as Olave was enjoying a career-best season. The Saints community, as well as NFL fans across the country, have sent prayers to the young receiver.

“Chris Olave had a fantastic season. He had a career year and deserves a big new contract!” wrote a fan. “It sucks he can’t play in the last game of the season, but he is going to have another good season next year.”

Drafted in the 2022 first round, Olave is eligible for a contract extension. Considering his performance this season, he might land a lucrative contract but may also head into the fifth-year option of his rookie contract if negotiations don’t go in his favor.

“Glad he’s okay. Missing a week is nothing compared to catching something serious in time,” wrote another fan.

It’s the emotion that every fan is resonating with right now. Though he wanted to finish all 17 games, it’s better that he begin treatment as soon as possible. His condition is reportedly manageable with medication, and if all goes well, he’ll be back on his feet next month, as sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

“Hope he is okay,” wrote another fan. “At least Giants fans can stop crying now about Shough having ‘too many weapons.’”

2025 may have gone beyond saving for New Orleans, but the last four weeks have certainly shown promise for next season. Rookie quarterback Tyler Shough has gone 5-3 since becoming a starter and tallied 2,125 yards, a 67.8% completion rate, nine touchdowns, and five interceptions this season. And his most reliable target on the field has been Olave. Now that the 2025 season is over for him, his focus will be on becoming healthy.