Saints' trade for Jon Dorenbos likely saved his life after heart condition discovery

New Orleans Saints long snapper Jon Dorenbos will have surgery to repair an aortic aneurysm and go on the team’s non-football injury list before he ever played a game with the team.

Dorenbos, 37, began his career with two seasons with the Buffalo Bills before joining the Eagles during the 2006 season. He spent 11 seasons in Philadelphia before he was traded to the Saints in August for a seventh-round pick in 2019.

But open heart surgery may mean the end of his NFL career.

The serious condition was found by a Saints doctor who performed a physical on Dorenbos. Saints coach Sean Payton said that the diagnosis “basically saved his life.”

However, he was released by the team Saturday and Payton said the team is working to rescind the trade due to the pre-existing condition which has prevented him from suiting up for the team.

Dorenbos was a two-time Pro Bowler with the Eagles, but he grabbed headlines last year when his abilities as a magician earned him a third place finish on NBC’s America’s Got Talent. Hopefully he makes a full recovery and gets back to blowing Jon Gruden’s mind with magic.