Oregon fans can't control their tears as Dan Lanning and wife pay tribute to cancer patients - "Absolutely bawling"

The week 6 clash pitting Oregon against the Michigan State Spartans was special for coach Dan Lanning and his family as the Ducks wore special uniforms designed by the Oregon coach's wife, Sauphia Lanning. The Ducks, known for their creative uniforms, wore twists on the 'O' logo on the jerseys and a collage of colors woven into their shoes representing different forms of cancer.

Sauphia is a cancer survivor and she was consulted on the uniform design. However, the the Lanning family's involvement did not end there. A video posted on the Ducks' Instagram page shows the coach, his wife, Oregon players, and cancer survivors paying tribute to cancer survivors.

Oregon fans in the comments could not hide their emotions at the touching video by the Oregon coach and his wife.

Oregon IG comments

Oregon IG comments

Dan Lanning explains inspiration behind uniforms designed by wife

During his weekly news conference, Dan Lanning, whose team has conference championship aspirations, revealed that the inspiration for the jerseys began in 2022 when he was appointed coach of the Oregon Ducks after Nike reached out due to his wife, Sauphia, being a cancer survivor.

“Really that kind of sparked as soon as we got here," Lanning said. "It was kind of cool that Nike reached out as soon as we got here about maybe being able to create something. I know it was really important to my wife that it was something that really honored all forms of cancer and the people who are surrounded by it."

“I think we’ve all been affected by that, so they took a really cool idea and turned it into something neat. I think it will bring great awareness and some much-needed attention to a terrible disease.”

Dan and Sauphia Lanning met in 2005 at an Outback Steakhouse where he was a server while she was a student at Northwest Missouri State University.

They got married four years later, and in 2016, Sauphia was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, which is a rare type of bone cancer.

Although she was declared cancer-free in 2017, she has continued to be a cancer activist and even served on the board of the Sarcoma Alliance.

During a news conference after he had joined the Oregon Ducks, Dan Lanning revealed how his wife's cancer diagnosis had reshaped his worldview.

"Once I got to Memphis, my wife was diagnosed with cancer, and it really reshaped my entire ‘why,’" Dan Lanning said. "Now, I want to be a guy that helps people. We are not here just to have championship football players, we are here to create championship fathers, championship husbands."

Next up for Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks is a pivotal clash against the Ohio State Buckeyes in week 7 of college football action, which might determine the conference championship game opponents.