Through his first eight games as Nebraska’s head coach, Matt Rhule has led the Cornhuskers to a 5-3 record and 3-2 mark in the Big Ten.
Some things, however, are bigger than football.
That was the message that Rhule sent to his players as he addressed the pink breast cancer awareness sticker on the back of the Nebraska helmets.
“As you walk out this tunnel, men, for the first time, the University of Nebraska, we have a pink ribbon on the back of our helmets. Obviously, that’s for all the wives, the moms, the sisters that have been affected by breast cancer, man” Rhule says in the video. “It’s even greater than that. It’s a way for us to honor the people in our lives — our mom, our grandmom, our girlfriend’s mom, our aunt — the people in our lives who have fought for us. Because ain’t no one of us here of our own accord. Picking you up, taking you to school, fighting for you, taking a second job, battling. Maybe keeping you away from the hard things in your life. She took it on so that you could just be a kid. Who is that for you? Maybe it was a dad, maybe it was a coach. But men, they fought for you. They were warriors for you.”
Coach Rhule honors those who suffered from breast cancer 🎗️ #GBR pic.twitter.com/cvklYFsuEo
— 247Huskers (@247Huskers) November 2, 2023
Rhule knows first hand the devastating impact that breast cancer can make. According to The Charlotte Observer, his mother is a breast cancer survivor, while his mother-in-law died from the disease.
“She’s gonna honor the way that her mother taught her to fight,” Rhule says of his wife in his speech to his team. “This ain’t emotional, this is joy, man. We’re here because of the ones that love us. So if you don’t have family here today, walk by my wife, walk by my daughters. You got family.”
After the video of Rhule’s speech went viral on Wednesday, many took to social media to weigh in.
After my treatments, I realized my time is the most valuable thing I could give others. You have to believe in yourself. Believe you can do it. Fight for 10 more minutes, one more day, one more week…. just to have more time with others. GBR 🎗️ https://t.co/lWyzkra5xG
— Hashtag Targeting (@rainbasin) November 2, 2023
Worth the three minutes. Great stuff. https://t.co/12PShkmcRw
— Molly McManimie (@MolllyMack) November 2, 2023
As someone, who watched his mom battle hard but succumb to cancer at a young age, this hit home https://t.co/SXfSlTPkNv
— Ted Nguyen (@FB_FilmAnalysis) November 2, 2023
https://twitter.com/ChancellorBrew1/status/1720118263063966121
Coach just gets it. This some real stuff here 😤✊🏻👼 https://t.co/h8TLOSDbKF
— Coach Dylan Utter (@coach_dutt) November 2, 2023
Man…what a message! Incredible. https://t.co/zzHuKPcqMA
— Nick Bahe (@NickBahe) November 2, 2023
I can’t wait to get back together with Matt Rhule he wins in CFB like so many others. Create the culture first, the players will follow. Well done right here👇 https://t.co/gV79Z3HKym
— Tim Brando (@TimBrando) November 2, 2023
Did not log on to Twitter this morning expected to be moved to tears by a football pregame speech, but here we are 🤯 https://t.co/DHpQ9LTByG
— Husker Football Fan Podcast (@HuskerPod) November 2, 2023
