Football legend Randy Moss sparked concerns this week after he said he was ‘battling’ an undisclosed health issue and asked for prayers.
Now, doctors have told DailyMail.com that they believe he is likely suffering from a liver condition, based on footage of Mr Moss that showed yellowing of his eyes.
The NFL legend, 47, revealed last night on Instagram that he was ‘battling something internal’ but that he would ‘get through it’ and has ‘a great team of doctors.’
The former wide receiver did not reveal the condition, but doctors suggested a number of theories.
Dr James Dello Russo, an optometrist in New Jersey, told DailyMail.com it was clear that Moss had jaundice, a yellowing of the whites of the eyes.
This isn’t a condition itself, but is normally a symptom of cirrhosis, or damage to the liver.
Among the most common causes of this are viral infections, such as Hepatitis B and C, or damage to the liver from alcohol. There is no evidence to suggest alcohol played a role in Moss’s condition, however.
In other cases, it is also possible that the condition could have been caused by liver cancer or an autoimmune condition where the immune system attacks the body.
Dr Dello Russo told DailyMail.com: ‘Randy does not specify what sort of internal condition he has, which means we can only speculate as to what it could be.
Randy Morris is pictured above on Sunday NFL Countdown. He sparked concerns among some fans who said he had yellow in the whites of his eyes. Doctors agreed
It is difficult to tell what he has beyond jaundice, which isn’t really a condition but more just a description of a yellowing of the whites of the eyes.’
Revealing his illness in an Instagram video released just before the Sunday NFL Countdown, Moss said: ‘Throughout the week and the holidays, your boy has been battling something internal.
‘I am battling something man, something internal, but your boy guna get through it. I have a great team of doctors and a great family around me now.’
He told fans that he would try to continue to work during the illness, but in cases where the whites of his eyes were yellow he would wear sunglasses.
Moss addressed the issue on ESPN’s coverage of Sunday NFL Countdown.
He added : ‘I just wanted to share something with you all. I put a post up maybe a few minutes ago on Instagram just telling people – you were talking about my eyes last week – and I just want to let the viewers know that me and my wife, me and my family, we are battling something internally.
‘I have some great doctors around me. I couldn’t miss the show, I wanted to be here with you guys.’
He added that he felt ‘great.’
Moss did not divulge any other details about his health, and DailyMail.com has reached out to him for comment.
It comes after concern grew last week, when viewers noticed Moss’ eyes appeared yellow. He has since started to wear sunglasses during television appearances.
Jaundice is caused by the liver being unable to break down bilirubin, a yellow substance created when red blood cells are broken down and recycled.
About 100million adults in the US have some form of liver disease, according to the American Liver Foundation — while liver cirrhosis, or scarring of the liver, is the 11th leading cause of death in the US, behind 26,000 fatalities per year.
Randy Moss is wearing sunglasses on NFL Countdown due to an ‘internal’ health issue
In most cases, cirrhosis of the liver, or liver damage, is reversible — with doctors saying people’s health can improve the condition within a month.
But in more serious cases, such as liver cancer, doctors say it is less likely that someone will make a full recovery.
In severe cases, a person may require a liver transplant.
Dr Dello Russo added: ‘If it is hepatitis, we do have a cure for that — so he can get better and pretty quickly, within a month, get over that.
‘The liver can heal with medical management, amazingly, which may be able to reverse what’s causing the yellowing of the eyes.’
Hepatitis B and C are viruses that can infect the liver, and can be caught via direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person.
This may be via sharing personal items with an infected person, such as razors, toothbrushes or nail clippers, and using unsterilized tattoo equipment.
Hepatitis B can be prevented via a vaccination, normally given at birth that is 80 to 100 percent effective at preventing infections. There is no vaccine for Hepatitis C, but doctors say avoiding exposure to infected bodily fluids can limit the risks.
Dr Dello Russo also said that Moss could be infected with Hepatitis A or D, which are also viruses that affect the liver.
Hepatitis A is transmitted via contact with contaminated food or water or an infected person, and often causes mild symptoms including jaundice, nausea and vomiting.
Hepatitis D is transmitted in a similar way — but only causes an infection if there is also a Hepatitis B infection.
Hepatitis A can also be prevented via a vaccine — administered between the ages of 12 and 23 months and which is more than 95 percent effective at preventing an infection.
People from black ethnic backgrounds are more likely to have hepatitis than those from white ethnic backgrounds, CDC research suggests, and are also less likely to be vaccinated against the virus.
Overall, the CDC found that while 48.4 percent of white adults had been vaccinated against hepatitis B among black adults, this fell to 34.3 percent.
There is no evidence to suggest that Moss did not receive any vaccinations that are recommended by the CDC.
Dr Dello Russo also suggested that Moss could have been suffering from gallstones, which can cause jaundice.
These form in the gallbladder, located just below the liver and which stores and releases bile to help digest foods, and can block tubes leading from the organ — causing the condition.
More than a million Americans are diagnosed with gallstones every year, with factors such as eating a low-fiber diet, having a family history of gall stones and drinking too little water raising the risk.
Studies suggest, however, that the condition is most common among women and those aged 40 years old or above. People who are overweight, sedentary or have a high-fat diet are also suggested to be at higher risk.
Another cause of jaundice can be non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a condition where fat builds up in the liver due to a poor diet and little exercise.
It is suffered by 100million Americans every year, but tends to be present in those who are overweight or obese.