Patriots honor Randy Moss at Week 17 game against Chargers

The former Patriots wide receiver is recovering from cancer.

The New England Patriots used their Week 17 game against the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday to honor one of the best players in franchise history: Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy Moss, who recently announced that he had been battling bile duct cancer.

Before the game, the Patriots flew a “Moss 81” flag as part of the team’s traditional field-taking ceremony:

In addition, the Patriots displayed a video tribute on their jumbotron before kickoff.

A former first-round draft pick of the Minnesota Vikings, who showed immense potential from his rookie season on, Moss joined the Patriots via the Oakland Raiders in 2007. He quickly regained his form of old, and became a reliable player for the team over the next three seasons.

While he was traded back to Minnesota early in the 2010 season, Moss remained a fan favorite in New England. His return to Gillette Stadium as part of the ceremony honoring Tom Brady this summer was concrete proof of that.