An Ex-NFL Star’s Leg Turned Into ‘Play-Doh’ After Skin Infection

An ex-NFL player was able to knead his leg like “Play-Doh” after contracting a potentially deadly infection.

Former defense tackle Lawrence Okoye, 31, from the UK, was diagnosed with cellulite after bacteria entered through a cut on his right leg. The skin infection got so bad that fluid began to build up under the skin, allowing the athlete to “shape” the limb.

After the diagnosis, the doctors gave the 31-year-old a week of antibiotics that cleared up the infection. He is now recovering.

If left untreated, cellulitis can progress to sepsis — when the body’s extreme response to an infection can be life-threatening. It comes after microscopic worms were filmed swimming in a man’s scrotum in stomach-churning footage.

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Lawrence Okoye, 31, contracted a cellulitis infection after an injury to his leg. He is pictured above playing for the Miami Dolphins in 2017 and the Dallas Cowboys in 2016

In the video, Mr. Okoye showed how he kneaded his leg six times, apparently leaving permanent sod

Cellulitis is a relatively common skin infection, with more than 14 million cases per year in the United States.

It is activated when bacteria — usually the same bacteria that cause strep throat — get into the skin through cuts and scrapes and cause an infection.

Patients normally suffer from irritation of the affected area, swelling, tenderness and pain.

But in some cases, it can also lead to edema, a severe swelling caused by problems draining fluid from the affected area.

Infections are normally treated with antibiotics and clear up in about a week.

In the stomach-churning video, Mr. Okoye is shown pressing his leg six times, leaving indentations in the process.

He posted the clip — more than 8.5 million views — in mid-December with the caption, “Warning!! This is mean!’

Viewers quickly jumped on the clip, suggesting that the player may have heart problems — or even cancer.

But in a follow-up clip, the ex-NFL star said he was diagnosed with cellulite.

He said: ‘Lots of people tried to tell me I had heart disease or liver disease, kidney disease, cancer and diabetes, but that’s clearly not the case.

“Those crazy holes that were in my leg don’t exist anymore.”

He explained that an edema — the buildup of fluid — under the skin caused by the infection had allowed him to knead the area.

Mr. Okoye previously played for several NFL teams, including the Miami Dolphins and Dallas Cowboys.

He also had a stint with the San Francisco 49ers.

But in recent years he has returned to the UK and has focused on discus throwing.

He went to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but failed to win any medals.

At the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham last year, however, he won silver for discus throw.

DailyMail.com has contacted Mr. Okoye for comment.