FOOTBALL IS FOR FAMILY: HERE IS TO YOU COACH RON RIVERA

There is no better way to put this other than screw cancer. As a human being I would never wish this on anyone. Unfortunately, on Thursday night head coach of the Washington Football Team, Ron Rivera, was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma. It is a form of skin cancer usually not life-threatening, but can spread throughout the body and cause serious complications. On Saturday, after practice with his team he gave a speech as calm as he could, knowing the chance of struggles ahead, he informed his players that he will do his best to be with them every step of the way. He also let them know that if he could not go, to not worry and finish the job whether its practice or the game.

Just Another Challenge

To Riverboat Ron this is just another challenge for him to tackle head-on just like he did all those years ago when he was named All-American for the University of California Berkeley. After his days in college, he was drafted in the second round of the 1984 draft by the Chicago Bears. He played as a role player for that famous 1985 Bears defense which led them to win Super Bowl XX. He played for the Bears from 1984 up until his retirement in 1992. When his playing days were over his next challenge was coaching and he started with the team that drafted him as he was the Bears defensive quality control coach from 1997-1998. He had many other coaching jobs during his career in the NFL:

• Philadelphia Eagles Linebackers Coach (1999-2003)
• Chicago Bears Defensive Coordinator (2004-2006)
• San Diego Chargers Linebackers coach (2007)
• San Diego Chargers Defensive Coordinator (2008-2010)
• Carolina Panthers Head Coach (2011-2019)
• Washington Football Team (2020-Present)

From Bear to Panther

In 2011, Ron Rivera was named Head Coach of the Carolina Panthers and his presence was felt where he won Coach of the Year in 2013 and 2015. He finished with a record of 79-67-1 with four playoff appearances, which are ranked first in all-time team history. And in 2015, he led the Panthers to a Superbowl appearance against the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50. Halfway through the 2019 season after nine seasons as the head coach, Ron Rivera was fired due to new ownership wanting to go in a different direction with the team. He will always be a legend for the Panthers as he took them from a bottom of the barrel team in the NFC to almost winning a Superbowl

New Beginnings

On January 1st, 2020 Ron Rivera was hired by the Washington Football Team to be their new Head Coach. He wasted no time in changing the attitude of the team by hiring some names to turn this organization around. His first move was assigning Scott Turner, son of former coach Norv Turner, as Offensive Coordinator. As well he is bringing in his good friend, Jack Del Rio, former Jaguars and Raiders Head Coach to be the Defensive Coordinator. It was a match made in heaven as they drafted Montez Sweat in last years draft and just drafted Ohio State’s defensive monster, Chase Young. You can just feel they were creating something special and it was as exciting as it can be. But soon after the floodgate doors opened, Washington was in the news for just about anything from removing statues of previous ownership, to the name change, to the lawsuit filed by former employees, to minority owners wanting Dan Snyder out and now this, Ron Rivera’s skin cancer.

Plan B???

As mentioned earlier Ron Rivera told his players after Saturday’s practice, if he can not be there he is working on a backup plan to keep this team moving forward. He has recently made the decision to have his friend Jack Del Rio take over operations and why not Jack Del Rio? He has been a Head Coach on two separate occasions and this would not be his first time stepping in when the head man goes down. Del Rio had to serve as interim Head Coach for the Denver Broncos in 2013 when John Fox missed the last four weeks of the season due to a heart issue. So, although Del Rio would love to be a head coach again in the NFL, he would prefer different circumstances. But hopefully it does not have to come down that as we would love to see Rivera standing on the sidelines.

Football and Family

When fans think of football, they think of the deep throws, the amazing runs, the kick and punt returns, the sacks, the pick sixes, the touchdowns and the rivalries of the game. But in reality, it’s about family, for seven months we watch in awe of the great athletes and coaches of the game, but for this season we are all Ron Rivera fans. Whether you’re part of the Raider Nation, Chiefs Kingdom, the 49er empire, the 12th man, Bronco Country, Steelers Country, Bills Mafia, or whoever you may cheer on a brisk Sunday afternoon, all of us should be cheering for Ron “Riverboat” Rivera. He is going to go up against the biggest enemy he has ever faced, cancer. Go get ’em Ron, we are all cheering for you.