"Keep Pounding" -- a phrase used by the Carolina Panthers honoring the late Panthers player and coach Sam Mills -- is one that has stuck with former coach Ron Rivera even his tenure in Charlotte ended -- during some of his most challenging days.
"Yep, it's funny because some of the former players I had, they would use that, and that was cool," Rivera said. "Some of them would use the sayings I used with them, about the attitude, preparation, and effort, and someone would tell me, 'Coach, it starts with your attitude today, Keep Pounding.'"
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Rivera, who is in his first season with Washington -- was diagnosed with cancer in August and spent time undergoing treatments but never missed a game. He said the support both near and far made all the difference.
"When you go through something like I went through, getting a message, whether it's a text message, an email, a voice mail, that means the world," he said. "I really appreciated the thoughts and prayers from everybody out there."
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Rivera will face his former team on Sunday for the first time since being fired. He said this isn't a revenge game; his focus is on his current team, Washington, which has a chance to clinch the NFC East.