KIRKLAND, Wash. -- At first, Ray Rhodes just thought he was
tired. When the numbness didn't leave his hand, and the vision is
his left eye would not come into focus, the Seattle Seahawks'
defensive coordinator knew something was seriously wrong.
"I'm not one to volunteer to go to the doctor," Rhodes said
Monday in his first public comments since being diagnosed as having
a mild stroke on Sept. 4. "So quite naturally, when I volunteered,
my wife was aware that something serious was going on because
that's the last thing I would do."
A month away from his 55th birthday, Rhodes is slowly getting
back into the flow. He did not accompany the team for its opener in
Jacksonville, and was in the coaches box on Sunday for Seattle's
21-18 win over Atlanta. Rhodes served as a consultant, while
linebacker coach John Marshall called the defense.
"I want to do what's right for him. I'm trusting him to be
somewhat sensible about this," Seattle coach Mike Holmgren said.
"What happened was serious, and he has to approach it that way."
Looking back, Rhodes said he first noticed something amiss on
Sept. 3, the day after Seattle's last exhibition game against
Minnesota. Rhodes worked a long day at team headquarters, but said
he felt extremely tired late in the evening.
He woke up early the next morning, but noticed he didn't have
feeling in his hand, and felt dizzy and lightheaded. Believing he'd
just slept on his arm and was still groggy, Rhodes got up and tried
to begin his day, but quickly realized his equilibrium was off.
"After a while things were getting very obvious to me that
something was wrong," Rhodes said.
After asking his wife to take him to the hospital, Rhodes called
Seahawks team physician Brad Shoup, who met him at the hospital.
Rhodes was admitted for three days and received "every exam,"
before being released on Sept. 7.
Test results revealing that a stroke had occurred did not come
back until late last week, when Rhodes had a full examination.
"I felt pretty sharp," Rhodes said. "I am just excited that
things aren't worse than what they are."
Rhodes returned to work for brief stints last week. He watched
practice from a window inside the team's facility last Wednesday
and helped some in the game plan for Atlanta. He said he sat in the
press box on Sunday and smiled at the effort his defense put forth
against the Falcons.
Rhodes said he never considered taking the year off.
"When you have been working in this business for a long time
and then you spend one week at home, I am not going to get myself
in trouble at home, but I don't think so," Rhodes joked.
How much Rhodes is involved in Seattle's preparations for
Arizona, depends on how he feels day-to-day. He's being cautious
about not working too many hours, watching his diet and exercise,
and trying not to get overly excited.
"Regardless of how much I love this game, I want to make sure
that I look out for my health," Rhodes said. "I joke a lot with
everybody and play around, but this scares me."
Rhodes returns to a defense that's played well despite
integrating seven new starters. The Seahawks held Atlanta to just
223 total yards, and just 13 in the second quarter.
Most importantly, Seattle stopped Atlanta in just four plays on
its final offensive possession when the Falcons needed only a field
goal to tie.
Because of the number of new faces, Holmgren didn't set a
timetable of when he expected results on defense. The players admit
there is room for improvement -- notably, Seattle has yet to force a
turnover -- but giving Rhodes a game ball on Sunday after a
defensive stand was a significant moment.
Getting Rhodes back this week helps even more.
"It's just good to have Ray back. He's so well respected and
just loved on this team," defensive end Grant Wistrom said. "He's
such a wealth of football knowledge, it can't do anything but help
to have him back."