Mike Heimerdinger, a former offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans, Denver Broncos and New York Jets, died Friday night after a nearly year-long battle with a rare form of cancer. He was 58. "It is with a heavy heart, but a trust in God, that we say goodbye to our beloved Dinger who lost his courageous battle with cancer," Heimerdinger's wife, Kathie, said in a statement Saturday. "Mike approached cancer with the same vigor and tenacity that he approached any football game -- to win. Even in the final minutes he never gave up -- that was our Dinger." Heimerdinger had continued to coach through his cancer treatments but was let go by the Titans in February, along with two other assistant coaches, after offensive line coach Mike Munchak was promoted to head coach. Former Titans coach Jeff Fisher had brought Heimerdinger back in 2008 after two seasons in Denver. "It was a tough deal and Dinger was a tough guy to the end, which is no surprise to those who knew what type of competitor he was," Fisher said in a news release. "He was a man's man. No matter how weak he looked, how weak he sounded, he never had a complaint and fought this cancer as you would only expect him to fight it." Heimerdinger helped the late Steve McNair earn co-MVP of the NFL honors in 2003 and was part of three playoff teams in his first five seasons at Tennessee before taking the same job for one season with the Jets in 2005. "The coming days will be challenging for our family and we graciously and respectfully ask that you allow us to grieve privately," Kathie Heimerdinger said. http://espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/sto...fensive-coordinator-mike-heimerdinger-dies-58 RIP. You were way better than Schotty.
I can't recall if I was more frustrated with Dinger' more than I have been with Schotty. Nonetheless, too young to go. R.I.P.
Very sad news. He carried on after his illness diagnoses and through treatment with the utmost dignity. R.I.P.
Heimerdinger Dies I know he was only here a short time but was a class individual. RIP "Dinger"! http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-obit-heimerdinger
Says that he coached while receiving treatment. I had heard last fall that he was delaying treatments to continue coaching. If that's the case, shame on the Titans.
