Cancer treatments won't stop Rivera

There are days when Washington football coach Ron Rivera is weary. Not because his first year with Washington has seen everything from sexual harassment lawsuits to the team’s name change or even a bad start to the season.

- Rick Snider

The slumped shoulders, tired expression and lack of intensity come from his skin cancer treatments that end Oct. 26. The coach knew he would lose energy from chemotherapy and proton treatments five days per week. That bedtime was after dinner and his daughter would be his chauffeur to treatment and the team’s facility. That is, when he’s not in the golf cart at practice. Rivera also sat briefly during some games and received fluids via IV at halftimes if dehydrated.

Most people would have taken time off work to deal with the treatment. Rivera soldiers on as the old war horse the NFL linebacker became years ago. There’s always going to be another game so at best Rivera takes breaks and has defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio handle some practices and sideline duties.

Things are getting better for Rivera, though. He’s counting down the treatments that hopefully rid his lymph node of cancer cells. His throat, expected to be raw from treatment, hasn’t robbed him of his voice. Maybe he’s not yelling like you’ve seen from his past Carolina days, but cancer won’t silence him, either.