Looking ahead Zak DC, TW Consultant?

[Zoomnbyu]

At the risk of being a heartless **** I don't think Terrell Williams has it in his health to come back to be a full time Defensive Coordinator in the NFL. It's not just the prostate cancer. He's the poster child (man) for having a heart attack if he could be back on the sidelines. BUT I think he and Zak have done an amazing job this season together. SO why not make Zak the official DC the day after the Superbowl (so he doesn't get poached for other DC positions) and make TW a defensive consultant working part time and in an upstairs booth during games with a defibrillator next to him (I kid, a little...) and a salad. If TW could help Zak become what we're seeing while going through chemo and radiation imagine what he could do just being Zaks work Grandpa for the next couple years.

 

[UGAPatsfan]

I don’t hate it and almost think they have no choice. Can’t count on a guy with TW’s health issues unfortunately but you can continue to employ him at the same pay in a less demanding role.

 

[neckroll#14]

I suspect any coordinator contract has a provision about health, ie one's health must be sufficient to support the demands, time commitment, ability to fly, etc., necessary to perform the required duties. Otherwise dismissal would ensue. I don't think owners would tolerate a contract that lets a highly compensated individual have a significant reduction in duties while continuing to be paid market salary... although I do not know this for certain.

 

[RobertWeathers]

At the risk of being a heartless **** I don't think Terrell Williams has it in his health to come back to be a full time Defensive Coordinator in the NFL. It's not just the prostate cancer. He's the poster child (man) for having a heart attack if he could be back on the sidelines. BUT I think he and Zak have done an amazing job this season together. SO why not make Zak the official DC the day after the Superbowl (so he doesn't get poached for other DC positions) and make TW a defensive consultant working part time and in an upstairs booth during games with a defibrillator next to him (I kid, a little...) and a salad. If TW could help Zak become what we're seeing while going through chemo and radiation imagine what he could do just being Zaks work Grandpa for the next couple years.

Yep.

It is an absolute shame TW has cancer. Both personally and professionally.

If he comes back, they run the risk of Zak Kuhr going to another team and being a DC (with the appropriate pay).

Not an easy situation. Hopefully TW and Kuhr remain on the staff and are happy, ok financially. and contribute to the success of the defense.

 

[maust]

I suspect any coordinator contract has a provision about health, ie one's health must be sufficient to support the demands, time commitment, ability to fly, etc., necessary to perform the required duties. Otherwise dismissal would ensue. I don't think owners would tolerate a contract that lets a highly compensated individual have a significant reduction in duties while continuing to be paid market salary... although I do not know this for certain.

All very logical BUT what with the league's marketing promoting 'Crucial Catch' and all you just can't fire the cancer guy. It's not about what a thing is, it's about how it looks. A mutual agreed to shuffling of responsibilities is best for all concerned, particularly in the appearance aspect of it. Thank you for your attention and please take a look at our fine selection of 'Crucial Catch' merch while you're here.

 

[turkeyneck]

Seems the best arrangement for all concerned.

 

[neckroll#14]

All very logical BUT what with the league's marketing promoting 'Crucial Catch' and all you just can't fire the cancer guy. It's not about what a thing is, it's about how it looks. A mutual agreed to shuffling of responsibilities is best for all concerned, particularly in the appearance aspect of it. Thank you for your attention and please take a look at our fine selection of 'Crucial Catch' merch while you're here.

that makes sense - then the easy answer is to reassign the person and have the league pick up any salary difference... done.

 

[jdlboot14]

nothing wrong with validating the man doing the job, to have the job. That was the dumb thing that BB used to do with BB and JMD, they were OC, but he didn't give them that title for a year or 2.
It's nothing against T-Will to recognize that his role may be best served as consultant (if he wants it, or even can handle the long hours and stress). For now - give Kuhr the job!

 

[Hugepatsfan]

I'm not going to speculate on if he is or isn't capable health-wise to be the coordinator moving forward. I've never talked to him. I've never reviewed his medicals and even if I did I wouldn't know how to read them. I have absolutely no insight of any value into his health status nor does anyone else on this board if we're being honest.

If he's not healthy enough to be a coordinator this arrangement makes sense. It's essentially what they've done this year with him helping on the gameplans but not being on the field. If he is healthy enough and wants the real coordinator role back, now it's a tough situation for Vrabel to manage if he prefers keeping Zak in the role. They can't force TW to accept a title change he doesn't want. Maaaaaybe they could change his role (i.e. not let him call plays) even if he forces himself to stay coordinator but now now it's a messy, ****ty, toxic situation that's better off resolved.

Vrabel has a history with both guys and seems to be a genuinely caring guy for his players/coaches personally so I trust him to do something that works while being as respectful as possible.

 

[Ring 6]

At the risk of being a heartless **** I don't think Terrell Williams has it in his health to come back to be a full time Defensive Coordinator in the NFL. It's not just the prostate cancer. He's the poster child (man) for having a heart attack if he could be back on the sidelines. BUT I think he and Zak have done an amazing job this season together. SO why not make Zak the official DC the day after the Superbowl (so he doesn't get poached for other DC positions) and make TW a defensive consultant working part time and in an upstairs booth during games with a defibrillator next to him (I kid, a little...) and a salad. If TW could help Zak become what we're seeing while going through chemo and radiation imagine what he could do just being Zaks work Grandpa for the next couple years.

Dude, have a freaking heart. There is really no need to come here and insult a cancer patient.

Is it really necessary on insult the man’s weight, which wasn’t an issue in hiring him, in order to discuss plans for Kuhr?

Should Andy Reid sit on the booth with a defribilator and a salad?
There have been many overweight NFL coaches, it doesn’t seem to be a reason they can’t do the job.

 

[DC Patriots]

At the risk of being a heartless **** I don't think Terrell Williams has it in his health to come back to be a full time Defensive Coordinator in the NFL. It's not just the prostate cancer. He's the poster child (man) for having a heart attack if he could be back on the sidelines. BUT I think he and Zak have done an amazing job this season together. SO why not make Zak the official DC the day after the Superbowl (so he doesn't get poached for other DC positions) and make TW a defensive consultant working part time and in an upstairs booth during games with a defibrillator next to him (I kid, a little...) and a salad. If TW could help Zak become what we're seeing while going through chemo and radiation imagine what he could do just being Zaks work Grandpa for the next couple years.

We simply don’t know enough about his health, what he will need to do for treatment and what has been going on behind the scenes in terms of his involvement this year to really do anything other than just speculate.

 

[Pape]

am I wrong in thinking that this is a discussion that is better had after the season is over?

Its fine to kick it around here, but there are so many unknowns that its easy to assume this and that, i personally find it a nebulous discussion...

It will be interesting to see if TW wants to return to the sidelines...

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

His problems Have to be much more than prostrate UNLESS it's stage 4 like recently took Scott Adams. We don't know.

Found prostate cancer in 2010. Gleason 7, not good. Had the Big treatment, radical prostatectomy surgery for removal. Once they removed my $#@! catheter after surgery I was good to go to return to work had I not been retired. Under 2 weeks. Resumed cardio kickboxing after 6 weeks*. At cancer free 5 years, declared cured!

Next year PSA suddenly no longer 0. It came back. Had to go full bore on 90 day hormone shots plus Erleada pills that back then cost me $11,000 per year. Lots of unpleasant side effects but would easily be able to work.
Meanwhile at that same year 2015 I found I had 1.5 blocked arteries and a failing aortic valve. No symptoms Except could not condition myself to run a 5K. Couldn't take stents because when they tried the blockage "was like a cement wall". Fortunately "great collaterals" kept me from symptoms or a heart attack.
So I had coronary disease plus prostate cancer. still able to do everything except run 5Ks. Or run any distance.
Eventually stair climbing 4+ flights without breathing heavily (my metric) worsened so rather than being annoyed I finally listened to the cardiologists and had triple bypass and aortic valve implant from some poor pig or cow in late 2024. No pain. Piece of cake recovery except being very weak for a couple weeks. Rehab worked well.
I don't understand what is going on with our DC except that gross overweight must be exacerbating this much younger guy.
Oncologists& cardiologists may be able to hypothethise.

*Resumed after 4 wks only to find 15 minutes in I'd completely pissed my shorts even with my 2" vertical leaps.
Wicked pissed. Pushed recovery too soon.

EDIT 2 FEB: It was Stage 4 with cancer eating the collar bone. Amazing that treatments were able to kill it against the odds!

 

[The Gr8est]

At the risk of being a heartless **** I don't think Terrell Williams has it in his health to come back to be a full time Defensive Coordinator in the NFL. It's not just the prostate cancer. He's the poster child (man) for having a heart attack if he could be back on the sidelines. BUT I think he and Zak have done an amazing job this season together. SO why not make Zak the official DC the day after the Superbowl (so he doesn't get poached for other DC positions) and make TW a defensive consultant working part time and in an upstairs booth during games with a defibrillator next to him (I kid, a little...) and a salad. If TW could help Zak become what we're seeing while going through chemo and radiation imagine what he could do just being Zaks work Grandpa for the next couple years.

At this point I am concerned that someone may poach Zak to be their DC.

 

[Zoomnbyu]

am I wrong in thinking that this is a discussion that is better had after the season is over?

Its fine to kick it around here, but there are so many unknowns that its easy to assume this and that, i personally find it a nebulous discussion...

It will be interesting to see if TW wants to return to the sidelines...

My concern is there's been 10 HC openings and they're going to need a DC. Zak is the sexy pick.

 

[Ring 6]

At this point I am concerned that someone may poach Zak to be their DC.

Promote Kuhr to DC, promote TW to assistant HC.

 

[Zoomnbyu]

Dude, have a freaking heart. There is really no need to come here and insult a cancer patient.

Is it really necessary on insult the man’s weight, which wasn’t an issue in hiring him, in order to discuss plans for Kuhr?

Should Andy Reid sit on the booth with a defribilator and a salad?
There have been many overweight NFL coaches, it doesn’t seem to be a reason they can’t do the job.

This isn't about a heart nor insulting him. This piece is a business decision about what is right for the rest of the coaching staff, the players, the owner/investor profits, with a piece about TW and Zak.

 

[UGAPatsfan]

I'm not going to speculate on if he is or isn't capable health-wise to be the coordinator moving forward. I've never talked to him. I've never reviewed his medicals and even if I did I wouldn't know how to read them. I have absolutely no insight of any value into his health status nor does anyone else on this board if we're being honest.

If he's not healthy enough to be a coordinator this arrangement makes sense. It's essentially what they've done this year with him helping on the gameplans but not being on the field. If he is healthy enough and wants the real coordinator role back, now it's a tough situation for Vrabel to manage if he prefers keeping Zak in the role. They can't force TW to accept a title change he doesn't want. Maaaaaybe they could change his role (i.e. not let him call plays) even if he forces himself to stay coordinator but now now it's a messy, ****ty, toxic situation that's better off resolved.

Vrabel has a history with both guys and seems to be a genuinely caring guy for his players/coaches personally so I trust him to do something that works while being as respectful as possible.

Here’s the part that has always perplexed me…

I run/own performance/longevity clinics. We run a comprehensive blood panel before we do anything.

You can learn a LOT about someone from physical exam, and bloodwork alone.

Specifically, there is NO WAY TW didn’t have elevated PSA with the stage cancer he had.

What vexes me is I assumed it was standard for any high level coach/exec in the NFL to get a pre-employment executive physical.

But, maybe not.

That would have caught a lot of these issues.

 

[Zoomnbyu]

Promote Kuhr to DC, promote TW to assistant HC.

Also great.

 

[Ring 6]

This isn't about a heart nor insulting him. This piece is a business decision about what is right for the rest of the coaching staff, the players, the owner/investor profits, with a piece about TW and Zak.

If you were talking about a business decision you would not feel the need to make comments like “put him in the boot with a defribilator and a salad”. That was only said to insult the cancer patient.

There was also no need to call him a heart attack waiting to happen, other than to insult him. He was hired at that weight.

See you can’t talk about what is the best decision without insulting the man, or you could do what you did.
I suppose you wanted to sound funny at the cancer patients expense. Not a choice I would make.