Ron Rivera, head coach of the Washington Football Team, has been diagnosed with cancer, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
The traumatic news dropped late Thursday night when Schefter began tweeting a flurry of reports about the coach’s health, including Rivera’s diagnosis of Squamous cell cancer of his neck.
Rivera was diagnosed with Squamous cell cancer two weeks ago, according to Schefter, a ‘very treatable and curable’ cancer, Rivera says, and shared the news with his team Thursday evening.
Rivera consulted with a number of doctors and specialists and is establishing a treatment plan with the team, as well as an outside specialist, Schefter says.
“It’s business as usual for Washington,” Schefter reports, “but a ‘Plan B’ is in place."
Squamous cell carcinoma, according to SkinCancer.org, is “the second most common form of skin cancer, characterized by abnormal, accelerated growth of squamous cells. When caught early, most SCCs are curable.”
“I’m planning to go on coaching,” Rivera said, according to Schefter. “Doctors encouraged me to do it, too. They said, ‘If you feel strongly, do it. Don’t slow down, do your physical activities.’ But everyone keeps telling me by week three or four, you’ll start feeling it.”
Upon receiving the news, Rivera said, “I was stunned,” according to Schefter. “But I was angry because I feel like I’m in (the) best health I’ve been in.”