While there are no enthusiasts in the stands of Sunday’s game between the Washington football team and the Baltimore Ravens, Washington coach Ron Rivera won an unforeseen aid display when he arrived at the stadium.
After missing a little practice time a week due to her war with skin cancer, Rivera was greeted through a full segment of FedEx Field filled with cardboard cutouts from friends and members of Rivera’s family circle.
As reported through the NFL Network, the tribute coincided with the NFL’s partnership with the American Cancer Society on the team’s stage.
“Someone once told me you didn’t know about cancer until it touched you,” Rivera told Sal Paolantonio of ESPN in a pre-game interview. “That’s when he hit my brother Mickey. No such a thing exists. When it’s your turn, it’s disturbing. But then you see things like that and other people that you and the notes I have and the cards I won, the notes I earned from friends. That’s great. “
“It shows that you don’t do this on your own, that there are a lot of other people who do it. “
Rivera’s brother Mickey died in 2015 after suffering from pancreatic cancer.
Wonderful moment here at FedEx Field as Ron Rivera surprised through his wife Stephanie and the Washington football team with 450 circles of carved family/friends supporting his war on cancer. This is the WAS Crucial Catch game. Players dressed in Rivera Sfront T-shirts. BALvsWAS (I mean Steve Smith Sr. ) pic. twitter. com/ixbmvgi4rF
Among the cuts were several NFL staff members, other coaches, including former players Greg Olsen, Luke Kuechly and Steve Smith Sr. , whom Rivera coached with the Carolina Panthers.
The cuts ended the duration of the target zone coach’s corner segment.