Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson has had a recurrence of cancer, this time in his spine, team officials said Thursday.
Johnson was diagnosed Monday with a malignant tumor on his spine and has begun radiation treatments at Bryn Mawr Hospital, team spokesman Derek Boyko said.
The tumor developed from a melanoma in the same area where Johnson's skin cancer was diagnosed in 2001, Eagles trainer Rick Burkholder told The Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News. Johnson also has cancer in other areas of his body, Burkholder said, but he declined to elaborate. The team did not offer a prognosis.
"Who knows where it tracked to from there, but his symptoms came from the spine," Burkholder told The Inquirer. "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. "
Philadelphia defensive coordinator Jim Johnson has cancer relapse. - SI.com - 2008 NFL Super Bowl
Dear Lord, please give Jim and his family the strength to deal with this, give his Doctors the skill to attack it.
To me this is the worst Eagles news ever, not because if it is as bad as it seems, it could devastate the defensive side of the team, but because Jim Johnson is, has been and always will be a teammate, he is one of a family, he is someone that helps the young players grow into the NFL, he is someone that makes the older players reach for more.
Eagles front office, show me what you got. Eagles players past and present, step up, a teammate is down and needs your help, he needs to feel your strength, your thoughts and prayers. Fans, we boo them when they don’t live up to our expectations, we cheer their victories, but now it is our turn to help the defense.
