Will Compton Shares Story of Cerebellum Cyst on Podcast
Former NFL linebacker Will Compton recently shared a personal health story with his podcast audience, revealing that he was born with a benign cyst on his cerebellum. The 36-year-old athlete discussed the experience during an episode of the Bussin’ With The Boys podcast, where he spoke with comedian Nate Bargatze.
Compton explained how he discovered the cyst during his time as an NFL free agent. He mentioned that it was found during MRIs of his cervical spine, which showed a white mass. Over the years, the cyst has been monitored, and it has grown to a point where Compton had to undergo a contrast MRI to check for any changes.
“I was apparently born with a cyst in my cerebellum,” Compton said. “Learned this throughout free agency. They found it on [cervical spine] MRIs and they found this white mass.”
He continued, “We’ve just been monitoring over the years. It’s grown to where, you see the photo, and it’s like: ‘I hope everything’s OK.’ So I had to do a contrast MRI to put dye in it to see if anything’s developed in the last several years because I’ve gotten different MRIs.”
Compton wrapped up his anecdote but offered Bargatze a chance to hear more off-air. “It’s a full story, I can tell you outside,” he said. However, Bargatze politely declined, leading to a humorous exchange between the two.
Although Bargatze is a diehard fan of the Tennessee Titans, Compton and co-host Taylor Lewan’s former team, he chose not to hear more. “Ahh, no, I think I’m good,” he said, prompting laughter from Compton and Lewan.
Fortunately, Compton’s cyst is not currently an issue, according to his show’s social media team. In a clip of their exchange on X, the Bussin’ With The Boys crew made sure to note “he’s okay” in an on-screen graphic.
However, Lewan initially thought the worst when Compton sent him some MRI images. As Lewan explained, the image included two “little circles,” one of which was slightly bigger. At the time, he was celebrating his daughter’s kindergarten graduation, but he quickly reached out to Compton, who assured him that the MRIs did not show any issues.
“I had to go and tell him like, ‘Hey, you all good?’” Lewan said. “He’s like, ‘Yeah, everything seems like it’s fine.’”
“I’m like, ‘Well, we could have led with that,’” Lewan added. “Like, ‘All good. Here’s a fun photo for you to look at.’”
While Compton’s cyst isn’t currently considered a threat, it is something he should monitor for the rest of his life. A cyst that grows large enough to compress the cerebellum can disrupt the brain’s motor control and impact balance, according to several studies published by the National Institute of Health.
