On Tuesday, the Buffalo Bills accidentally announced that head coach Doug Marrone was battling cancer. The team's website published an article that was almost immediately taken down, referencing Marrone's fight.
As it turns out, Marrone had a cancerous mole removed from his body, according to Pro Football Talk. The coach did not elaborate on what type of cancer he has or where the mole was removed from, but said it will not affect his ability to coach moving forward. Per the piece:
"During a recent doctor’s visit, it was discovered that I had a cancerous mole on my skin, which has since been removed," Marrone said in a statement posted on the team’s website. "The only follow up required is to have my moles checked every three months and that basically is the end of the story. The recent extraction procedure will have no effect on my ability to coach the team moving forward."
Marrone, 49, is entering his second season as the head man in Buffalo. Last year, the team struggled while using a bevy of quarterbacks, including Jeff Tuel, Thad Lewis and E.J. Manuel. The Bills finished up the 2013 campaign with a 6-10 record, missing the playoffs once again. Buffalo has the longest active streak of missing the postseason, getting there last in 1999 under Wade Phillips.
The Bills look to improve with the ninth overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft on May 8.