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Ron Rivera on Thursday revealed his diagnosis of breast cancer to his team. On Saturday, the Washington coach explained what to try to coach while he will undergo treatment this season.
“I’m not getting rosy about it,” Rivera said in his first meeting with beat writers since the news broke about his diagnosis, via ESPN’s John Keim. ‘I’m honest. I know I will wrestle, so on days I do, I ask the coaches to step up and the players to step up and take ownership. I understand the meaning of what I am going through, and I understand how difficult it will be. Those days I can be on the field, I will be on the field. When I’m there, we’ll be business as usual. If not, Plan B. I do not expect that to happen. I hope it does not happen. I hope I can do any exercise. The prognosis is good, so I’m pretty confident. I can not wait to get started and get over it. ”
Rivera, 58, would not say whether he would require surgery. He will undergo five treatments in seven weeks – a combination of chemotherapy and proton therapy.
“That’s one thing the doctors talk about, if you can focus on it, because it detracts from other things that are happening,” Rivera said. “Many times it helps people to get through situations and circumstances.
‘For me, it’s another challenge, a challenge I accept. I need to continue to be the person I am and be disciplined about it. More importantly, the doctor said that at some point you need to be selfish and take care of yourself. ”
Rivera confirmed that Jack Del Rio, who has 12 years of NFL head coaching experience, is the team’s Plan B if Rivera is ever too tired or otherwise unable to coach. Del Rio served as the interim coach in Denver seven years ago when John Fox missed four weeks with a heart problem.
