Washington Football Team coach Ron Rivera began his treatment for squamous cell carcinoma on Tuesday.
Defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio will take over for any practice sessions that Rivera misses, according to a team spokesperson.
Rivera, 58, announced his diagnosis with the form of skin cancer last month. It is in its early stages and “very treatable and curable,” he said at the time.
Rivera is 76-63-1 as a head coach, all with the Carolina Panthers from 2011-19. He is 3-4 in the postseason.
He was hired by Washington this offseason to take on a team in transition, both on and off the field. The club is confronting an alleged culture of sexual harassment, and it scrapped its longtime nickname after years of pressure and a building outcry from corporate sponsors.
Washington opens the season Sunday at home against the Philadelphia Eagles.