LAS VEGAS — For 49ers linebackers coach Johnny Holland, every day is the Super Bowl as he battles multiple myeloma, an incurable form of cancer that was found in his body four years ago.
Holland, 58, a former linebacker with the Green Bay Packers (1987-93), had his career cut short with a neck injury. He’s been coaching in the NFL since 1995.
He was diagnosed with cancer before the 2019 season. He’s been battling through treatments, taking each day as it comes.
“My dad, he thought every day was a good day, and you have an opportunity,” Holland told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution while taking a break from preparing for Super Bowl 58 on Sunday against the Chiefs (6:30 p.m., CBS). “I kind of live life by that. You never know what’s going to happen tomorrow. Enjoy the day and make the most of it.”
Holland has remained positive throughout.
“The thing that I can control is my attitude,” Holland said.
Now, there have been peaks and valleys for Holland, who has coached with the Packers, Seahawks, Lions, Texans, Raiders and Browns.
“This happened in 2019 when I got diagnosed,” Holland said. “It was one of those deals where I thought there was nothing to it, and I’d knock it out. It would be over, and all of sudden that thing just turned around, man. I’ve been getting treatment for about three years, every week.”
His treatments were reduced recently.
“Then I got on this (new) treatment, and it’s been working for about two years now,” Holland said. “They just moved it this year to once a month, which has been awesome. I was having to get that treatment once a week. But I’ve been doing good.”
Through it all, Holland hasn’t missed much work and has continued to help groom his players and coaches. Demeco Ryans was his assistant linebackers coach before Ryans landed the Texans’ head coaching job this past offseason. Holland wasn’t surprised that Ryans guided the Texans to the AFC playoffs as a rookie head coach.
Holland, an original member of Kyle Shanahan’s coaching staff from 2017, has continued to work with 49ers linebackers Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw.
“Really, God has been so grateful and good that I really haven’t missed any significant time,” Holland said. “During the COVID era, I couldn’t travel as much. Other than that, I was on the practice field every day. I’d go get treatment and get right back with it.”
Holland, who was on the verge of breaking through as a Pro Bowler with the Packers, was taken in the second round (41st overall) of the 1987 draft out of Texas A&M. He’s taking his cancer in stride, while not knowing how much time he has on this earth.
“It was good,” Holland said. “You hate to go through something like this, but it’s been an eye opener, and it makes me appreciate every day. I appreciate moments like this, for sure.”
Holland appreciates his playing and coaching days even more when he does take time to reflect.
“I always tell people, sometimes you think your back is against the wall when things happen to you in life,” Holland said. “Then sometimes there are significant things in life that you can’t control, which is sometimes your health. I’ve been a true believer in God, but it makes you like go, ‘God, is this for real?’ It’s real now.”
Holland has learned not to question his faith.
“But he’s so gratefully good throughout my whole life, but not just this. It made me see God in a different perspective,” Holland said. “Every day is a really good day. Not just Super Bowl Sunday, every day is a great day. It made me see life from a different angle, which is good.”
Holland’s playing career came to a full stop in 1993. The Packers’ doctors tried everything they could to save Holland’s career.
“Neck was gone,” said Holland, a thumper of a linebacker who started 100 NFL games and played in 103.
“You go through those neck rolls, but I’m still standing,” Holland said. “I remember my first year of coaching, I was like there’s no way I’ll be around for 28 years, 30 years, but here I am hanging around. Been so grateful to have the opportunity to do this so many years and to be at the Super Bowl.”
Holland has been an inspiration to his players.
“He’s meant everything to me,” Warner said. “His battle with cancer, being able to show up every single day, you never know that anything is wrong. He brings the same type of energy and positivity day in and day out and leads our group of linebackers.”
Under Holland’s tutelage, Warner has developed into one of the league’s top linebackers. He’s a three-time Pro Bowl player and All-Pro.
“We take great pride in producing excellence out on that field, and he’s the reason for that,” Warner said.
Dre Greenlaw, a fifth-round pick out of Arkansas in 2019, also has developed under Holland’s watch.
“It’s been huge just to be able to, honestly, to have his encouragement, to see his inspiration every day,” Greenlaw said. “It leaves marks on all of us because you’re just thankful for every moment that you’ve got with him.”
Holland doesn’t talk about his cancer much with the players, but they all know what’s going on.
“Somebody like that going through what he’s going through, that’s able to fight, put a smile on his face and put smiles on other people’s faces, it just make you want to come in with a better attitude,” Greenlaw said. “A better mindset. He’s going through cancer, and we can come in and play football and get paid for it. That’s something to be thankful for.”
The 49ers have a challenge. They’ve been giving up rushing yards by the bushel — 136 to Green Bay and 182 to Detroit — in the playoffs. If the Chiefs can run the ball, quarterback Patrick Mahomes will be free to cut up the 49ers secondary with his pinpoint passing.
“We have to be on our stuff,” Holland said. “We have to play our best game against these guys. They can beat you in so many different ways.”
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