Texans coach Gary Kubiak took a game off on Sunday after collapsing on the field at halftime a week earlier. He plans to make that the only game he takes off.
Kubiak is expected to coach on Sunday against the Raiders, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Kubiak returned to practice on Monday and is planning to build his way back up to being able to work a full day.
The health scares of both Kubiak and Broncos coach John Fox (who is expected to miss several weeks after a heart procedure) put a spotlight on the high-stress profession that is coaching football. Most coaches are workaholics, and so it’s not surprising that Kubiak wants to get back to work as soon as possible.
If Kubiak feels good and his doctors have cleared him to return, this is good news. Here’s hoping Kubiak’s quick return is based solely on his medical advice, and not on a feeling that he needs to get back to the sideline to help his team. Players shouldn’t feel pressure to risk their health to get back out there and be with their teams, and coaches shouldn’t feel that pressure, either.