Dec. 24, 2025, 9:01 a.m. ET
New York Giants defensive line coach Andre Patterson revealed he was diagnosed with prostate cancer earlier in 2025 and underwent treatment while continuing to coach through the entire season.
The 65-year-old, in his 21st NFL campaign as a defensive line coach and fourth with the Giants, informed players of his diagnosis in the spring. He declined any leave of absence, maintaining his full duties even as assistant Bryan Cox occasionally filled in prior to his firing.
Patterson made his battle public to promote awareness of prostate cancer — one of the most common cancers in men, often slow-growing and highly curable when detected early.
“Make sure you get checked,” Patterson urged, via ESPN.
He also used the experience to teach his players about resilience beyond football.
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“Stuff happens in life,” Pettersontold them. “Learning those things as a young man is going to help them down the road as they deal with other things that happen to all of us in life’s journey.
“If all I do is teach you how to be a good football player, I’m cheating you. I have to help you with life’s journey. So we talk about things other than football a lot because my job is to also prepare them for what life is going to give them when they are no longer a football player.”
Star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II said of Patterson, “I think we give him life… Obviously, that’s not an easy thing to go through, but I think we give him life and he enjoys coming in and helping us get better.”
Players reported seeing no decline in Patterson’s energy or effectiveness. He now feels better and maintains a positive outlook.
