Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger to undergo treatment for cancer
All the drama that has swirled around the Tennessee Titans concerning the relationship between head coach Mike Fisher and quarterback Vince Young will have to be put on hold as the Titans now have to deal with something a little more important than their
egos.
Offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger was diagnosed with cancer on Wednesday 24 November and is set to undergo chemotherapy almost immediately.
Fisher made the announcement without specifying the type, or severity, of the cancer and only pointed out that Heimerdinger had been very sick over the past three weeks and, for the time being, has relinquished his duties.
"Mike is going to be, potentially as early as today (Wednesday 24 November), undergoing chemotherapy for cancer treatment," Fisher informed the media.
"I don't know whether Mike will be back tomorrow, whether he'll be here Friday or Saturday or whether or not he'll be able to participate in coaching this game. I want you all to pray for Mike, like we have been doing all morning."
The news comes as another jolt to a team that has been reeling since its 19-16 loss to the Washington Redskins. Fisher praised his offensive coordinator for the way he had battled through the sickness to this point. "What he's done over the last couple of
weeks considering how he felt is absolutely remarkable.
"When you add the events of the weekend to that, it just doesn't make sense. In any case, the Vince Young stuff is behind us. We're going to move on and get ready to play a football game. Our guys are going to play hard. The players know, I informed them
this morning, and they understand that they are going to have to do a little bit extra."
Heimerdinger was currently in his second spell as offensive coordinator with the Tennessee Titans, as he had previously served under Jeff Fisher from 2000-2004, before Norm Chow took over and Heimerdinger took a position for one disastrous year with the
New York Jets. Heimerdinger rejoined Fisher and the Titans in 2008 taking back the job from the man who replaced him.
When Heimerdinger was brought back in it was in the hopes that he and Fisher could bring them back to the kind of success they knew during the early part of the decade when together they made the play-offs three out of five seasons.
This season, the Titans are still in the hunt and battling for a play-off spot with a 5-5 record in the AFC South and are one game behind both the Indianapolis Colts and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Players had been aware that Heimerdinger had been battling some health issues recently, but the 58-year-old had not held back in any way in getting the team ready for each game.
"He needs us right now. He needs us to be supportive," quarterback Kerry Collins said. "Obviously, all our thoughts and prayers are with him, and I know one thing about Dinger, the guy's a fighter. He's stubborn. He's tough. I know he's going to give everything
he has to this fight, and I know he's going to get through it and be fine."
At the conclusion of their Wednesday practice, linebacker David Thornton led the team through prayer.
The Titans are preparing for a tough divisional match-up against the Houston Texans and will be testing out rookie quarterback Rusty Smith, who is set to replace the disgruntled Vince Young. Young is to have season ending surgery to repair a torn flexor
tendon in his hand.
"Everybody is going to have to do a little bit extra, but our focus is on winning the next game, and that is what we are 100 percent committed to do," Fisher said.
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