Giants D-line Coach Andre Patterson Reveals Cancer Battle

Patterson made his recent cancer battle public in the hopes of encouraging others to get screened.

Andre Patterson, New York Giants defensive line coach, talks to reporters. | Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

New York Giants defensive line coach Andre Patterson is all about instilling toughness in his pupils. And fortunately for them, they couldn’t ask for a better role model than in the 65-year-old veteran coach.

Patterson recently revealed that he has been working through the 2025 NFL season after having been diagnosed with prostate cancer, for which he’s been receiving treatment. 

Per ESPN, Patterson opted to keep his battle under wraps while undergoing treatment, with only his defensive linemen aware of what was happening. Patterson has a positive outlook for beating the disease. 

According to the Mayo Clinic, prostate cancer might not initially cause symptoms, especially in the very earliest of stages. 

Oftentimes  those who are diagnosed with early prostate cancer have an excellent chance of being cured given the slow-growing nature of that type of cancer and the likelihood that the cancer has not spread beyond the prostate. 

Treatments include surgery, radiation therapy and, depending on the stage of the cancer, chemotherapy.   

Three years ago, Patterson dealt with another undisclosed health matter that landed him in the intensive care unit and saw him try to do his job while confined to a scooter. 

Save for a handful of times with his most recent medical issue, Patterson refused to take a leave of absence or not show up for work unless it was necessary for him to do so. During that time, now-former assistant defensive line coach Bryan Cox stepped in to coach the Giants' defensive linemen.  

Patterson, who began his coaching career in 1982 as a graduate assistant at Montana, has been with the Giants since 2022. Before arriving in New York, he was a longtime assistant for the Minnesota Vikings, having had two different stints with the team, the first as a defensive line coach in 1998-99 and the second in a variety of defensive roles from 2014-21.

Patterson, who has helped Dexter Lawrence reach Pro Bowl status and who has been focused on developing Darius Alexander, the team's third-round draft pick this year (among others), told ESPN that he decided to publicize his diagnosis in the hopes of inspiring others to have regular screenings. 

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