The Washington Football Team demolished the Dallas Cowboys 25-3 on Sunday, taking their record to 2-5. Monday morning, head coach Ron Rivera celebrated a different victory. He completed his last round of cancer treatment and rang the bell.
Rivera posted a photo on Monday that followed the “how it started, how it’s going” trend. One image showed him slumped in a chair with a mask on his face. The second showed him ringing the bell to mark the end of his cancer treament. The Football Team also posted a video that showed Rivera taking his victory lap through the hospital halls while health care workers cheered, rang bells of their own and threw confetti in the air.
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It’s a different kind of Victory Monday 💛#RiveraStrong pic.twitter.com/tgiZgOpBGC
— Washington Football Team (@WashingtonNFL) October 26, 2020
“Sheesh mans whooped the cowboys Sunday and cancer on Monday what a two day span,” one fan commented on Twitter. Several others showcased their excitement by cheering for Rivera. Many said that the moment was amazing. Some even admitted to crying after watching the head coach ring the bell.
Rivera revealed in late August that he had been diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma located in a lymph node. He said that the cancer was in the early stage and that doctors considered it “very treatable and curable.” He said that his plan was to continue coaching while receiving treatment.
“I’m planning to go on coaching,” Rivera said to ESPN NFL insider 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 also explained to ESPN that he found a lump on his neck in early July. The lump remained for two weeks, prompting a visit to his doctor. Rivera then learned in early August that he had cancer, and he said that he was “stunned.” Rivera also said that he was “angry because I feel like I’m in the best health I’ve been in.” The coach ultimately consulted with his doctors and came up with a treatment plan.
The veteran coach remained on the sidelines during the first seven weeks of the season while receiving treatment for the cancer. There were moments where he had to rest, such as during halftime of a game against the Philadelphia Eagles. He received an IV while quarterback Dwayne Haskins gave a speech to the team and kickstarted a comeback that led to a 27-17 win.
