ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone said Tuesday night he had a cancerous mole removed and added that it will not have any effect on him doing his job.
Marrone made the announcement in a statement released through the team.
Marrone, 49, said the cancerous mole was discovered during a recent visit to the doctor. He said the only follow-up requirement is to have his moles checked every three months.
"That's basically the end of the story," Marrone said. "The recent extraction procedure will have no effect on my ability to coach the team moving forward."
Marrone is entering his second year on the job following the team's 6-10 finish last year. A former NFL offensive lineman, Marrone spent the previous five seasons turning around a struggling Syracuse program. He was also an assistant with the New Orleans Saints and New York Jets.
The news comes at a difficult time for the Bills. Owner and founder Ralph Wilson died last month, and Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly is being treated for the recurrence of sinus cancer.
Marrone made no mention of the illness during a news conference earlier in the day after Bills players reported for the first day of the team's voluntary conditioning program.
The Bills made an error Tuesday night when an incomplete story about Marrone's health was accidentally published to their official website.
The story, which included a line about Marrone being "diagnosed with BLANK TYPE OF CANCER," drew national attention across social media and was eventually taken down without immediate explanation from the team.
Nearly two hours later, after several ESPN and other media inquires into the matter, the Bills began distributing a statement from Marrone that said he had a cancerous mole removed from his skin.
The Bills distributed a follow-up statement Wednesday: "We are continuing today to discuss the unfortunate situation we experienced last night with our website and will address the matter internally," the statement read in its entirety.
Marrone did touch on the uncertainty raised by Wilson's death, which will lead to the franchise being put up for sale, a move that raises the possibility of the team relocating.
In addressing players earlier in the day, Marrone reminded them of the importance of staying focused.
"We talked today about one of the things that I've always talked to the coaches and players about, to make sure you learn or you understand that you control what you can control. And I think that's important," Marrone said. "For us, we understand that we have to go out there and win, and that's what our focus is. And that's what our mission is."
He added: "If we start thinking about the things we can't control and get sidetracked, then we will lose our focus and that will hurt us in losing football games."
The Bills have not made the playoffs in 14 seasons, marking the NFL's longest active drought.
ESPN.com Bills reporter Mike Rodak and The Associated Press contributed to this report.