Karson Siqueiros-Lasky

UPenn Quarterback ‘28

[Karson Siqueiros-Lasky @KarsonSL]

No brainer. 🙏

[Penn Football @PennFB]

He helped Be the Match and now He is a Match!

Proud to announce Karson Siqueiros-Lasky matched with a bone marrow recipient from our Get in the Game Drive.

#FightOnPenn #1Team1HEARTbeat

[Karson Siqueiros-Lasky @KarsonSL]

I started wondering what she might be feeling right now. Did she worry a donor would never be found? Did she wonder whether the person who matched with her would agree to help?

I thought about how devastating it would be if someone said no.
And I thought about how fortunate I was to be in a position to say yes.
As athletes, we’re taught about sacrifice, commitment, and showing up for our teammates. As a quarterback, leadership comes from setting the example.
This experience reminded me that the best leaders don’t ask others to do something they’re not willing to do themselves.
I spent my time encouraging people to join the registry.
Now I have the opportunity to show why it matters.
The closer I get to my donation date, the more excited I become.
The patient remains anonymous for now, but if everything goes as planned, there may be an opportunity to connect through NMDP in the future.
I’d love to hear her story if she says yes.
I’d love to know how she felt when she learned a donor had been found.
I’d love to learn about her life, her family, and what she’s looking forward to doing in the future.
Most of all, I’d love to know she’s healthy.
This experience has also given me a new perspective.
The odds of being selected as a donor are incredibly small. Just as most people never expect to face a serious illness, I never expected to receive this call.
Yet here I am.
It’s a reminder that life is fragile, unpredictable and precious.
It makes me appreciate things I might otherwise take for granted—the chance to attend class, practice with my teammates, pursue my goals, spend time with family, and simply wake up healthy every day.
None of those things are guaranteed.
That’s one reason why I wanted to tell this story.
Not because I’m looking for recognition.
But because I want people to understand that this is something they can do.
You don’t have to be a superhero.
You don’t have to put your life on hold.
You don’t need weeks or months of free time.
It starts with a simple swab.
And, if your name is ever called, a willingness to help.
For me, that willingness means a few phone calls and five days of my time.
For someone else, it could mean a lifetime.
So, if you’re thinking about joining the registry, do it.
And if one day you get the call, say yes.
You may never expect it.
I certainly didn’t.
But if that moment comes, you’ll have the chance to do something extraordinary for someone you’ve never met.
Soon, I’ll travel to help a woman whose name I don’t yet know.
If I could send her a message today, it would be simple:
I’m honored to help.
I’m rooting for you.
And I hope one day we’ll have the chance to meet.
Until then, I’ll happily do my part.
When my number was called, saying yes was an easy decision.

[Karson Siqueiros-Lasky @KarsonSL]

When My Number Was Called
As a quarterback, I'm used to hearing my number called.
That's part of football.
When your number is called, you're expected to be ready. Ready to lead. Ready to perform. Ready to do your job.
But this wasn't football.
A few months ago, as part of Penn Football's partnership with the NMDP stem cell donor registry, I encouraged students across campus to sign up as potential donors. Like many of my teammates, I joined the registry myself. I completed the cheek swab, mailed it in, and honestly never expected to hear another word.
Then my number was called.
I learned I was a potential match for a woman battling a life-threatening illness.
Suddenly, something I had viewed as a simple act of service became personal.
At first, I thought about football.
As a quarterback at Penn preparing for the 2026 season, my schedule is packed with workouts, practices, meetings, classes, and other responsibilities. I wondered whether donating would affect my preparation.
Then I learned what the process actually involved.
The team at NMDP walked me through every step. There were a few phone calls, an extra blood test, and a physical. They coordinated everything around my schedule and made the process remarkably easy.
In total, it’s about five days of my time.
Five days.
That’s what really opened my eyes.
People often don’t sign up because they assume they’ll never get called.
I assumed that, too.
Then I got the call.
And when I did, the decision became surprisingly simple.
I stopped thinking about football and started thinking about the person on the other end of this process.
I don’t know her name.
I don’t know where she lives.
I don’t know whether she has a husband, children, parents, siblings, or friends hoping for a match.
What I do know is that she’s fighting for her life.
And I know that I have an opportunity to help.
When I looked at it that way, the answer became clear.
Was one week of my life worth the possibility of giving someone else more time?
For me, there was only one answer:
Yes.
⬇️

[Karson Siqueiros-Lasky @KarsonSL]

@khamanirobinso1 @CoachWoodie @coach_pimp @BCUGridiron @Coach_Wimbo @CoachColey35 @_TMJackson @tbarragan5 @COACHJDESSEIN Yessir Mani!

[Penn Football @PennFB]

From our Penn Football Family to yours, we wish you a happy holiday season filled with joy, cheer, and Red & Blue spirit! ❄️⛄️

#FightOnPenn x #BEGREAT

[Ivy League @IvyLeague]

The Ivy League will participate in the @NCAA_FCS playoffs starting with the 2025 season. Full details below. 🌿🏈

📰 » https://t.co/VonEvmEd10

[Pete Thamel @PeteThamel]

Per sources, the Ivy League has confirmed with the NCAA that the league’s winner will get an automatic bid to the FCS playoffs starting in 2025.

[ricki @RickiLPGA]

🥰

[Karson Siqueiros-Lasky @KarsonSL]

@COACHPEEJAYJACK @SCState_Fb @jaybrown_321 @Dom22Howard Let’s go!

[Bokey Football @BokeyFootball]

The show starts tomorrow at 6pm! 🧡🤍🖤💪🏽🔥🏈 #Bokey

[Penn Football @PennFB]

ALL EYES ON PENN! 👀

We're closing in on the Quakers' time slot for Ivy League Football Media Day, as @CoachPriore, QB Aidan Sayin, and DB Shiloh Means will enter the spotlight around 12:45pm!

📺 https://t.co/g36DI1WlxC

#FightOnPenn x #BEGREAT

[Penn Football @PennFB]

PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA 🇺🇸🏈

It's @Jaredrich_17's second honor of the preseason so far, as @FCS_STATS names him second-team All-America!

📰 https://t.co/C7vQMTNmLS

#FightOnPenn x #BEGREAT

[Karson Siqueiros-Lasky @KarsonSL]

🔵🔴#KeepWorking

[Karson Siqueiros-Lasky @KarsonSL]

@Frankhicks0 @AllenUXCTF @_COACH35 @kolbytackett @AthleticsMdca @MDCAFB @itscoachjoe @Coach_Miller34 Let’s Go, Frank!!

[Karson Siqueiros-Lasky @KarsonSL]

@Artful_Dodgers @yeyebawore @ParkerThune @PennFB Yessir!

[Karson Siqueiros-Lasky @KarsonSL]

@yeyebawore @PennFB Let’s Go!

[Adeyeye Adebawore @yeyebawore]

COMMITTED‼️#FightOnPenn

[Karson Siqueiros-Lasky @KarsonSL]

Can’t throw, run and lift ALL the time…🏌️‍♂️

[Karson Siqueiros-Lasky @KarsonSL]

Congrats! Let’s Work!!

[Ezra Fearon @ezra_fearon]

Extremely blessed to announce my commitment to @PennFB and the UPENN family!🔴🔵

Thank you to God and those in my village for helping me through this process.#PennPride

@coach_spinnato @chapibic @CRHFootball @CoachPriore @CoachBobBenson @CoachCless @coachphipps_16 @CoachBrito32

[Jon Dupont @CoachDupont]

Another reason to #JoinTheUPrising🔴🔵 #PENN doing GREAT things since 1740🌿🎓🏈 @PennFB #OneDegreeBetter