Jack Nicklaus’ grandson is feeling better after suffering a heart attack and needing emergency surgery last month.
According to a Palm Beach Post report, Nick O’Leary, a five-year NFL veteran who plays tight end for the Las Vegas Raiders, was playing pickleball with his brother in Jupiter, Florida, where he lives, when he felt pain in his chest. Doctors diagnosed O’Leary with a heart attack and the 27-year-old underwent an angioplasty on May 19 to clear a 100-percent blockage in his heart.
The 6-foot-3, 250-pound O’Leary anticipates being able to return to football next year.
“I feel good,” O’Leary said. “I feel better than I did before. I’ve got to be on blood thinners for six months to a year. That’s really the only reason now why I can’t play football. If I [got cut], they said that would be the biggest problem, wouldn’t be able to stop the bleeding.”
O’Leary, who is the son of Nicklaus’ daughter, Nancy, has caught 53 passes for 668 yards and four touchdowns in an NFL career that has also seen him play for the Bills, Dolphins and Jaguars. He signed with the Raiders in March.
He was also a member of Florida State’s 2013 NCAA Championship team.
“I got all these friends, I’m in better shape than they’re in, I’m working out, I feel like I’m in good shape,” O’Leary said. “For it to happen to me, I was in shock. I didn’t think that’s what it would be. For that to happen and me ending up being in the hospital for three days and having a heart issue is pretty weird.”
