“To see a man struck down in such a short amount of time by skin cancer sent a message to me that, hey – I better pay attention,” Sean McDermott said about the late Philadelphia Eagles coordinator Jim Johnson. Johnson’s defensive strategies helped the Eagles secure one Super Bowl appearance and reach five NFC title games. A defensive mastermind, he led the team to seven playoff appearances and made countless contributions during his career of more than two decades. Early May of 2009, he had taken a leave and, within a few months, passed away. Johnson was suffering from a cancerous tumor on his spine. That was a wake-up call for McDermott.
“This guy I looked up to, a guy who was so strong and seemingly invincible in my eyes, it made this skin cancer message real,” McDermott said on SkinCancer.org. While coaching the Bills and trying to turn them into Super Bowl contenders, he himself has quietly battled his skin cancer. After being diagnosed, however, he became much more careful with his skin.
Back in 2021, he opened up about his struggles with squamous cell carcinoma, which he has had multiple times. He added that he has also dealt with basal cell carcinoma. Both are among the most common types of skin cancer, as per the American Cancer Society.
Though it can be challenging, he reminds himself that many people face far tougher battles. During his appearance on Hard Knocks, McDermott shared more details. “My wife (Jamie) says it’s kind of my lot, it’s what I deal with right at times, honestly, I feel like it I’m fighting an uphill battle but there’s a lot of people who have it a lot worse than I do,“ he said.
McDermott was young when he first visited a dermatologist, encouraged by his parents, and now urges everyone to do the same. McDermott has been coaching since 1998, and in 1999, he helped lead the Bills to their first playoff berth in years. If anyone, the coaches and players, spends plenty of time out in the sun, it’s perhaps the HC.
To protect himself, he always wears sunscreen and protective clothing. Recalling the many treatments and checkups he’s had over the years, McDermott admitted he wishes he had paid more attention earlier. But let us tell you that he is not alone in this battle.
Sean McDermott reminisced about his grandfather and Jim Johnson
When talking about his own battle with skin cancer, McDermott shared that it “runs in the family.” “Jim Johnson. My grandfather battled with skin cancer as well; lost part of his lip years ago. And so the fight has become for me — personal, because of that. But now, it’s a daily thing in terms of my job being primarily outside, at least 50% of it, so if I don’t (wear sun-protective clothing, long pants, hat, and sunblock) — I probably won’t be around much longer,” the coach emphasized the importance of sun protection.
Looking back, he admits he ignored his parents’ advice to wear sunscreen. For a player who spends much time under the sun, it is more important. Now, he’s making sure others don’t repeat that mistake by raising awareness about skin protection. And while Johnson and McDermott aren’t related, they go way back. Johnson was both a mentor and a colleague to the coach during their time with the Eagles. This was way more personal for him.
Over the years, McDermott has lost count of how many spots have been removed from his arms, hands, and legs. Back in 2017, he also underwent Mohs surgery on his nose. This is a procedure used to remove skin cancer lesions. McDermott also continues to follow a strict daily routine to protect himself and lower his risk of melanoma. But thanks to the preventive steps he takes, he is better. McDermott is also involved in the Skin Cancer Foundation to raise awareness.
As part of the NFL’s “My Cause, My Cleats” campaign in December 2020, he worked with artist Thomas O’Brien. Along with him, he designed cleats to pay tribute to his close ones who are battling or have lost their lives to the disease. On one shoe, he had “JJ” for Johnson. On the other hand, “RR” for Ron Rivera, his former Panthers colleague, now battling squamous cell carcinoma. He’s doing everything he can to lift the Bills with one hand, while spreading the word about the disease.
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