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- Mar 20, 2019
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It’s a common refrain in the NFL: Next man up. It applies to coaches, too.
Bruce Arians did that in 2012 when then-Colts head coach Chuck Pagano underwent treatment for leukemia.
Washington coach Ron Rivera missed Tuesday’s practice while undergoing treatment for squamous cell carcinoma. Defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, who twice has served as a head coach in the NFL, served as head coach in Rivera’s stead.
“Coach says ‘I’m gonna be out,’ it means he needs me to step in. I’m like, ‘I’ve got you, coach,'” Del Rio said after Tuesday’s practice, via JP Finlay of NBCSportsWashington.com. “I’m just going to carry on his message. We’re going to stay on point with what we’re doing. I pay attention to what he’s saying to the staff and what he’s saying to the team and I echo those things. Talking with the team, he’s asked everybody to step up: assistants step up, players step up. Everybody has got to step up and do their part.”
The team expects Rivera to return Wednesday, but he likely misses more practices during the season. Del Rio will serve as the interim coach in Rivera’s absences, though Rivera is not expected to miss a game.