Looking ahead Zak DC, TW Consultant?

[Huckleberry1]

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.

Keep up the hard work Pissah, best wishes on your health issues.

 

[Grogan14]

Health related personnel decisions are probably one area that posters should steer clear of as it involves private and confidential information.
Speculation about details that are unknown is unwise
Vrabel will figure it out

 

[Grogan14]

My word!! Truly inspiring story dude!!! My heartfelt congratulations that you were able to fight through all that medical adversity!!! Wow!!!

Amazing what you went through and persevered. You must have incredible inner strength and support.

 

[DarrylS]

Spot on. I think that'll play out just like that.

My belief is Vrabes and TW are tighter than tight. I'm 100% certain Vrabes will do right by him. I also believe TW will be honest with himself and Vrabes and not sign up for more than his body can handle. Vrabes views TW as an asset and will want him around and coming back from a scary health issue, maybe a "lesser role" might be the best thing at this point in his life.

I agree, the grind on these coaches is rigorous.. pretty sure his doctors will advise him to slow down a bit after this episode of cancer...
He is still relatively young (51) so not sure he is ready to walk away just yet... so the suggestion of a "lesser role" may be a viable choice...

 

[festy1986]

Health related personnel decisions are probably one area that posters should steer clear of as it involves private and confidential information.
Speculation about details that are unknown is unwise
Vrabel will figure it out

Yes but I think it's obvious what the intent of this thread is and what I'm sure everyones feelings on the matter is.

It sucks this man has cancer. It sucks that it's going to affect his career and it sucks that his opportunity to finally get this job was derailed by his health.

But there's no way you can realistically give him the job back given the success they have had in his place.

That doesn't even include the fact that Vrabel said the cancer was totally unrelated to the health issues that caused him to miss months of work in the summer.

It's not fair to him I know but it's really not fair to the players or team either.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

The one issue that we don't have a good handle on is how much of the work installing the game plan Williams has been doing. By most reports, he has been involved to some degree, just not on game days.

 

[p8ryts]

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.

Good Post. I've been thinking the same thing but did not want to be the "heartless ****", (congratulations to you). I don't think we want to lose Zak.

 

[jdlboot14]

This shouldn't be a discussion. This is a classic Wally Pipp situation. It stinks that T-Will had cancer, but this D has risen to a top 5 unit under Kuhr. And he just out-smarted Sean Payton in a CG. If Vrabel gives T-Will back the job in the offseason, I'll be quite upset. Because we still don't know that he can call plays. The only time he did was week 1 disaster against the league-worst Raiders! I mean, come on. I really hope they see obvious wisdom, and keep T-Will as a some sort of senior defensive coach.

 

[The Gr8est]

This shouldn't be a discussion. This is a classic Wally Pipp situation. It stinks that T-Will had cancer, but this D has risen to a top 5 unit under Kuhr. And he just out-smarted Sean Payton in a CG. If Vrabel gives T-Will back the job in the offseason, I'll be quite upset. Because we still don't know that he can call plays. The only time he did was week 1 disaster against the league-worst Raiders! I mean, come on. I really hope they see obvious wisdom, and keep T-Will as a some sort of senior defensive coach.

We don’t know how much input Williams has with the defense.

Williams reportedly returned to the team fairly recently, and the defense has gotten better in that time.

 

[Brotherblues]

Health related personnel decisions are probably one area that posters should steer clear of as it involves private and confidential information.
Speculation about details that are unknown is unwise
Vrabel will figure it out

Sam bringing sanity to the unsanitable. Sam the Wise indeed.

I am happily sitting this one out, plenty happy that the decision is in someone else's hands, and even happier that that someone is Mike Vrabel.

 

[The Gr8est]

Sam bringing sanity to the unsanitable. Sam the Wise indeed.

I am happily sitting this one out, plenty happy that the decision is in someone else's hands, and even happier that that someone is Mike Vrabel.

If you read TBD there are Bills posters who say they despise Vrabel.

They would be over the moon if he was their HC.

And if he was I bet Beane would be shown the door and their owner would be seen and not heard.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Health related personnel decisions are probably one area that posters should steer clear of as it involves private and confidential information.
Speculation about details that are unknown is unwise
Vrabel will figure it out

As a reminder, HIPAA essentially only prevents certain people involved in healthcare from disclosing such information without a patient's consent. It doesn't prevent us from speculating, nor does it prevent anyone in the Patriots organization from discussing it in public.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Also:

 

[condon84]

Was worried about Khur and the defense heading into the playoffs but thus far he has proven himself. The aggression, blitz package and performance of this defense reminds me of Flores run with the D en route to a SB. He has led a dominant side.

 

[PP2]

We don’t know how much input Williams has with the defense.

Williams reportedly returned to the team fairly recently, and the defense has gotten better in that time.

I am in agreement that they shouldn't screw around with what works now. Zuhr excels in real-time playcalling, likely with input from TW who I understand is in the booth.

And it is likely that the same dynamics exist in the DC room where they break down film and gameplan for the coming week.

Hopefully both TW and Zuhr come back next season.

 

[The Gr8est]

I am in agreement that they shouldn't screw around with what works now. Zuhr excels in real-time playcalling, likely with input from TW who I understand is in the booth.

And it is likely that the same dynamics exist in the DC room where they break down film and gameplan for the coming week.

Hopefully both TW and Zuhr come back next season.

With all the new HC hires by other teams I expect Zak Kuhr to attract attention.