Mike Heimerdinger (1952-2011)

[blazindw]

Sad news in NFL and Duke circles as former Tennessee Titans O-Coordinator Mike Heimerdinger lost his battle with cancer yesterday. People around here may remember him as the O-Coordinator here at Duke during the 1994 season that saw us as high as #13 in the polls and making the Hall of Fame Bowl (now Outback Bowl). He was a great coach and respected by many in both college and NFL arenas. A big loss for football.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/70...dinger-dies-58

[OldPhiKap]

Sad news in NFL and Duke circles as former Tennessee Titans O-Coordinator Mike Heimerdinger lost his battle with cancer yesterday. People around here may remember him as the O-Coordinator here at Duke during the 1994 season that saw us as high as #13 in the polls and making the Hall of Fame Bowl (now Outback Bowl). He was a great coach and respected by many in both college and NFL arenas. A big loss for football.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/70...dinger-dies-58

Prayers for the family. Mike, rest in peace. OPK

[CameronBornAndBred]

Oh wow how sad. Thoughts to his family and friends, he was one of the few OC's I really liked. I was not surprised when he moved on from Duke. Too sorry to hear he has moved on beyond this plane.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Very sorry to hear this. Mike leaving us for greener pastures hurt us, but was good for his career. R.I.P Dinger.

[tommy]

I didn't realize it, but according to the LA Times' obit, the Titans fired 'Dinger in February, upon making a coaching change, but he was already a very sick man and the team had to know his days were numbered. Would have been classy to keep him on the payroll for the duration, for the benefit of him and his family, given the kind of guy and the kind of coach he was. Hate hearing stories like that.

[sagegrouse]

I didn't realize it, but according to the LA Times' obit, the Titans fired 'Dinger in February, upon making a coaching change, but he was already a very sick man and the team had to know his days were numbered. Would have been classy to keep him on the payroll for the duration, for the benefit of him and his family, given the kind of guy and the kind of coach he was. Hate hearing stories like that.

The Washington Post, in reporting that Mike Shanahan was grieving over the death of his close friend, said that Heimerdinger and Shanahan were college roommates at Eastern Illinois IIRC and that Shanahan hired him for the Broncos as a receivers coach in 1995. That would have marked his exit from Duke.

sagegrouse