Cal Sports Report

Ex-Cal Star, Washington NFL Coach Ron Rivera Reveals He Has Cancer

This type of cancer is considered treatable, and Rivera will continue in his role as head coach of the NFL team
Jake Curtis|
Ex-Cal Star, Washington NFL Coach Ron Rivera Reveals He Has Cancer
Ex-Cal Star, Washington NFL Coach Ron Rivera Reveals He Has Cancer

Ron Rivera, a former Cal All-American and current head coach of the NFL’s Washington team, disclosed that he has cancer, but plans to continue coaching, ESPN reported Thursday night.

The Washington team followed with a statement that said Rivera, 58, was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma located in a lymph node on his neck. It was detected in the early stages and is considered "very treatable and curable."

Rivera was a consensus All-America linebacker at Cal in 1983, when he set a school record with 26.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, including 13 sacks. He finished his college career with 337 tackles.

ESPN reported that the Mayo Clinic says squamous cell cancer is a form of skin cancer. It is usually not life-threatening but can spread throughout the body and cause complications if not treated.

"I'm planning to go on coaching," he told ESPN’s Adam 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."

Rivera told Schefter that he has a Plan B if it’s needed, but did not explain what it would be. Washington defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio has been a head coach for two NFL teams – the Jacksonville Jaguars (2003-11) and Oakland Raiders (2015-17).

Rivera told the players of the diagnosis during an evening meeting.

Rivera was fired by the Panthers after last season, then hired by Washington in January,

Jason Wright, recently hired as Washington team president, tweeted a message.

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Jake Curtis
JAKE CURTIS

Jake Curtis worked in the San Francisco Chronicle sports department for 27 years, covering virtually every sport, including numerous Final Fours, several college football national championship games, an NBA Finals, world championship boxing matches and a World Cup. He was a Cal beat writer for many of those years, and won awards for his feature stories.

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