The Washington Football Team has been through a myriad of obstacles over the past few months from sexual assault allegations to a high-profile name change controversy. Now another blow came this week as head coach Ron Rivera revealed that he has been diagnosed with lymph node cancer. The cancer is in the early stages and is considered very treatable and curable. Rivera has consulted with doctors/specialists and a treatment plan is being established.
“I’m a little bit angry. I’m not quite sure how this happened. This is the healthiest I’ve felt in a long time in all honesty,” Rivera said. “I lost some weight, I’ve been working out, doing things the right way. Had a great summer. I was really disappointed, surprised, concerned, scared at times.”
Since taking over at Washington, Coach Rivera has been a bright spot for the franchise. His no nonsense attitude and leadership is a breath of fresh air to fans and players. This made it a hard job to tell the teams but he did so on his terms.
“Some were stunned,” Rivera continued. “A bunch came up and wished me well. I said, ‘I’m going to be a little more cranky, so don’t piss me off’.”
Despite the disappointing news, Rivera has taken it in stride. He is expected to undergo treatment five days a week for the next seven weeks. He plans to press forward with a business as usual attitude but if he needs to take some time away, defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio is the logical option to lead in his absence.
As the news spread, there were plenty of reactions and support shared across social media.