Big Weirdo Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/Coach_has_begun_radiation_treatments.html TAMPA – Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson was told Monday that he has melanoma skin cancer in his spine, the team disclosed today.Johnson, who has been in charge of Andy Reid’s defense during the head coach’s 10 seasons with the Eagles, has begun radiation treatments at Bryn Mawr Hospital after initially being diagnosed by doctors at Pennsylvania Hospital. The cancer is a recurrence. “The original site was a skin cancer in 2001,” team trainer Rick Burkholder said. “Who knows where it tracked to from there, but his symptoms came from the spine. Now there are some other areas in his body (that have cancer), but I’m not going to get into where else some other stuff is. They will all be treated together. The main deal is his back right now. He’s got a bone tumor down in his low back and that’s what we have to attack right now.” Burkholder said no surgery is scheduled for Johnson. Burkholder also believes that Johnson intends to continue coaching. “They’re going to go with radiation right now,” the trainer said. “One of the problems is he’s in a lot of pain from the tumor on his spine and the radiation will calm some of that pain down and let him get back to a little bit more normal walking and stuff like that and then they’ll broach what the next treatment is.” Burkholder said doctors did not think the cancer had spread to Johnson’s brain or spinal fluid, but that there is concern about where the cancer has spread. “I think the whole situation with the melanoma spreading through his back is a concern for the doctors -- so they’re going to continue to study him and treat the back right now,” Burkholder said. Burkholder said Johnson initially complained of back pain earlier this month and was sent for an MRI examination after the Eagles’ Jan. 11 playoff game against the New York Giants. “The MRI looked funny,” Burkholder said. “We thought he was going to have a disc problem, because he had those symptoms, but it actually looked like there was a tumor besides the stress fracture in his spine. The MRI alerted our doctors that something else might be going on. They did further testing; they did a bunch of scans and had him see some other doctors and it looked like the melanoma was back.” Johnson, for the first time during his Eagles career, coached from the press box in the Eagles’ playoff win against the New York Giants, then again in the NFC championship loss to the Arizona Cardinals. The Eagles reported that Johnson had back pain and the 67-year-old coach needed the assistance of a cane. Burkholder, who was on his way to Hawaii to take part in the Pro Bowl, said the Eagles weren’t positive about Johnson’s diagnosis until Monday. Johnson is the only Eagles coach who did not make the trip to Hawaii to coach the NFC squad. Coach Andy Reid declined to comment, but did tell his assistant coaches about Johnson’s cancer this week. “We didn’t know definitely until after the Arizona game,” Burkholder said. “We just got all the final stuff this week. We had some ideas and suspicions going into the Arizona game.” Burkholder said he has not spoken to Johnson, but he said Reid indicated that the veteran NFL coach and Eagles team internist Dr. Gary Dorshimer and team physician Peter DeLuca had an optimistic outlook. “Dr. Dorsheimer and that whole team of doctors over at Pennsylvania Hospital are very optimistic,” Burkholder said. “Jim’s very upbeat about it and Vicky, his wife, is upbeat about it. Nobody has given me a number -- you’ve got this much time -- or anything like that. It has all been positive in terms of treating this cancer.” Well that sucks. Get better Jim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brotherz Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Man that does suck. I have always feared, respected and even at times despised Jim and his schemes but he is a good and decent man from what I have seen (I lived outside of philly for 11 years). Football falls right into its proper place when stuff like this comes down. He's in my prayers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OWUeagleMD Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Terrible ****. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMOSS89 Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 hate to hear stuff like this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DWinzit Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 He is the most respected Eagle. Get well tough guy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKM311 Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Man I hate the Eagles and there fans. But boy do I respect Jim Johnson! I think he is an absolute monster at what he does and I think his loyalty to Philly is something us fans all wish we had with our teams coaches/players. I pray he beats this, but the spine scares me. My prayers are with him and hopefully he goes 2-0 against the worst enemy to humans! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tr1 Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Let's hope he gets through this quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mania Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Jim Johnson is a class act and a great defensive coordinator. I wish him and his family the best and I'm sure I can speak for the entire mostly the entire skins family when I say this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.Campbell17 Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 I hope he makes a full recovery. I will keep him in my prayers. I really hate to see stuff like this happen to people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba9497 Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Hope he gets well soon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewCliche21 Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 My thoughts and prayers to him and his family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
praise_gibbs Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 I have a sore spot for Cancer. Whether I know the person or not, it is always tough to hear that someone is trying to battle that ****in disease. Just terrible news. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RammsteinSkins Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Man,I have the utmost respect for him.My thoughts and prayers are with his family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spjunkies Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 So sorry to hear about this Best wishes Mr. Johnson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOF44 Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Get well soon Coach Johnson. A great D coordinator even if he is an Eagle. Classy guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RFKFedEx Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Bummer man. JJ is a great NFL mind. Hope everything works out so he can return to the sidelines next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doncherry Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 such a great coach, and from everything i have ever read, a great man. My thoughts are with him and his family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheREALJBird Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Sucks to hear. Hope he gets well soon, hell of a D coordinator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
posse87 Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Unfortunately this is a terminal diagnosis. The five year survival with metestatic melanoma is less than 10% and of that 10% no one is alive without disease. He should certainly try to enjoy the rest of his time. The radiation is palliative only, not curative. He has been a respected opponent of the redkins and the NFL. I certaiinly wish him well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOSKINS_08 Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Thats horrible news..Get well soon Jim Johnson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Weirdo Posted January 30, 2009 Author Share Posted January 30, 2009 Unfortunately this is a terminal diagnosis. The five year survival with metestatic melanoma is less than 10% and of that 10% no one is alive without disease. He should certainly try to enjoy the rest of his time. The radiation is palliative only, not curative. He has been a respected opponent of the redkins and the NFL. I certaiinly wish him well. Damn, if those statistics are true that really sucks. If thats the case then I certainly wouldn't want him on the sidelines. Enjoy your life Jim. It's more important than a game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warhead36 Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Man what awful news. My thoughts and prayers to his family. Lets hope he treats the cancer like a rookie QB and blitzes the crap out of it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dockeryfan Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 I pray he beats this... nobody beats Metastatic Disease. It's sad news for sure, hope he's not in too much discomfort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRay Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Man, that truly sucks sorry to hear that my prayers is with Mr. Johnson and his family. It sure puts football in another perspective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DGreen28reigns Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Terrible news. He truly is an awesome Def. Coord. My husband and I have always respected him and his coaching abilities. We are praying for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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