Ron Rivera called his players together to deliver the “tough news” of his cancer diagnosis on Thursday night, and by Saturday morning ripped into them for a practice that didn’t meet his standards.

Washington’s coach knows he’ll struggle during treatment for squamous cell carcinoma but doesn’t want his health to be a focus. There’s a plan B in place for defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio to take over the head coaching when necessary, but Rivera got a good prognosis from doctors about making a full recovery. He wants his team to be “business as usual” and concentrate on football.

“I can’t wait to get started and get this thing over with and go forward,” Rivera said. “I understand the significance of what I’m going to be going through. I understand how tough it’s going to be. Those days that I can be on the field I will be on the field, and those days that I can’t, I won’t.”

The 40-hour swing from revealing he had cancer to yelling that practice wasn’t good enough exemplified Rivera’s desire to get back to work even with the difficult challenge ahead. Doctors told the 58-year-old Rivera that coaching could take his mind off the chemotherapy procedures needed to get rid of the treatable form of skin cancer.

So that’s what he’s doing, while hoping it’s a bonding and teaching experience for players.

“We’ll find out a lot more about ourselves,” said Rivera, who is in his first season with Washington. “Are we going to wait for somebody else to step up, or are we going to step up ourselves? So I think this is all part of our growth.”

SEAHAWKS: Defensive lineman Branden Jackson was taken off the field on a backboard as a precaution after being injured during the team’s scrimmage on Saturday.

Coach Pete Carroll said Jackson had movement in all his extremities. The injury happened just before halftime of the scrimmage at CenturyLink Field. Carroll ended the scrimmage after a lengthy break while Jackson was being treated.

Jackson was eventually loaded into an ambulance and taken to a hospital as a precaution.

Jackson, a fifth-year defensive end, appeared to collide helmets with offensive tackle Cedric Ogbuehi and seemed to be unconscious before he landed on the turf.

BROWNS: Cornerback Kevin Johnson was released from the hospital after suffering a lacerated liver in practice this week.

The team said that Johnson, who signed as a free agent during the offseason, was discharged from University Hospital on Friday and is doing well.

The Browns said his status will be evaluated on a “week-by-week basis.”

Also, Pro Bowl running back Nick Chubb returned to practice on a limited basis after sustaining a concussion earlier in the week.

DOLPHINS: Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick returned to practice Saturday after a one-day absence for personal reasons.

SEAHAWKS: Backup offensive lineman Kyle Fuller was suspended for the first two games of the season for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.

Copy the Story Link

Comments are not available on this story.