Another member of the New York Giants is battling cancer.
Big Blue's special teams coach Thomas McGaughey has been undergoing chemotherapy treatments the past two months.
"This past offseason, they found a growth in my bowel duct. In that growth was cancer," McGaughey said Thursday, per the team's transcript. "They removed it. I had a very extensive procedure, called a Whipple procedure. During the Whipple, they found a cancer in one of my lymph nodes. I've been doing chemotherapy for about the last two months. I'm going on my fifth treatment, and it's going good."
McGaughey joined the Giants this offseason with head coach Pat Shurmur after two seasons with the Carolina Panthers. The 45-year-old said he plans to remain with the team while finishing his treatments. New York re-hired Tom Quinn earlier this offseason to assist McGaughey during the summer.
"It's tough. As a football coach, you don't think about this stuff," McGaughey said. "You get up, you do what you do, and live life. I'm not going to let any chemotherapy or cancer or anything else get in the way of what I do. I'm a football coach. I'm a father and a football coach, and that's what I do. I got to get up every day. Nobody cares. They're not going to feel sorry for you. It's get up, go to work, and you got to earn your paycheck."
Giants general manager Dave Gettleman was also diagnosed with cancer earlier this year. The GM's cancer is in remission.
McGaughey said he's used Gettleman as a sounding board.
"It helps," he said. "We share our chemotherapy stories and talking about the medications and all that stuff. We definitely have our conversations. Dave is a great man. It is what it is. We just got to fight through it and keep moving."
McGaughey plans on being on the sideline as the Giants open their season Sunday versus the Jacksonville Jaguars.
