Commanders Head Coach Ron Rivera Breaks Down Addressing Team Following Win, Weeks After His Mother’s Death

Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera became emotional as he addressed his team in the locker room after their win against the Philadelphia Eagles, weeks after his mother’s death.

Rivera’s mother,Delores passed away on Halloween. He was excused from the team to be with her before she passed away.

After the Commanders handed the Eagles their first season loss on Monday Night Football 32-21, Rivera addressed his team in the locker room. Monday night’s win was the first win for Rivera since his mother’s passing. Once the locker room became silent, Rivera tried to talk to the team but became speechless. The players gave Rivera a round of applause as they could see he struggled to get the words out.

One player could tell how emotional Rivera would become and shouted, “we’re with you, coach!”

Rivera finally found the words to say to his team as he fought back the tears. The camera zoomed in closer to his face as tears began to fill his eyes.

“My mother would’ve been proud,” Rivera said and walked out of the locker room to applause from his team.

Wide receiver and team captain Terry McLaurin stepped in for Rivera and gave a fiery speech in support of his head coach.

“You can see how much that means to him,” McLaurin added. “But it means a lot to everyone in this locker room, bro. We set the damn tone; we took it to them!”

After McLaurin gave his speech, he huddled up the team and used the term “family” to break down the players.

Rivera had faced hard times throughout his coaching career. In 2015 when he was the coach of the Carolina Panthers, his older brother Mickey passed away from pancreatic cancer. The Commanders coach was also previously diagnosed squamous cell carcinoma, skin cancer, on his neck. He announced in January 2021 that he was cancer free.

Watch above via the Washington Commanders.

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