VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Quarterback Dwayne Haskins reportedly gave the locker room halftime speech that helped spur The Washington Football Team to a second-half comeback win over division rival Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.
While a step forward in leadership from the second-year signal-caller is a great sign, with the speech he simply filled the void left by the most important voice in the room.
Head coach Ron Rivera was busy getting a precautionary IV. The move was taken as Rivera undergoes treatment for squamous cell cancer.
"Even the most stoic individuals can be laid low with aggressive radiation and chemo," said Allan Thornton, staff radiation oncologist at Hampton University Proton Therapy Institute.
Rivera has said he will undergo treatment five days a week for seven weeks, a program that Thornton calls "curative dose."
He said it should be enough to cure the tumor, but won't come without its share of difficult days for Rivera.
"Reducing stress, eating well, and sleeping well may be helpful to him during treatment," said Ko Ko Muang, staff oncologist at Riverside Gloucester, virtually listing characteristics that most NFL head coaches simply can't afford.
Luckily for Rivera, he's shown time and again that he's not like other NFL coaches, this is simply another comeback to execute, regardless of who is giving the speech.