More than 14 months later, the scene remains unnerving. On Nov. 3, 2013, in a nationally televised game, Gary Kubiak slumped over and fell to his knees on the 24-yard line at NRG Stadium in Houston. He was placed on a stretcher and taken by cart to an ambulance.
Kubiak had suffered a transient ischemic attack, or mini-stroke. His next recollection was talking to doctors, telling them he remembered having a headache and not feeling well before halftime.
The scare jolted Kubiak and his wife, Rhonda. But it never occurred to Kubiak that he wouldn’t coach again. After he was introduced as the 15th coach in Broncos history Tuesday, Kubiak insisted that his health remains strong as he re-enters the mental wood-chipper that is life as an NFL boss.
“I knew within 24 hours that I was fine. I was ready to go back in a couple of days, but the doctors wouldn’t let me, saying I needed to stay at home,” Kubiak said. “I wasn’t going to get away from football. That’s part of my family, always has been.”
The mini-stroke taught Kubiak the importance of delegation. Former Texans player Joel Dreessen said Kubiak worked himself into the hospital. A mini-stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is blocked by a narrowed blood vessel or a clot. The symptoms include dizziness and disorientation, and can lead to permanent memory loss or slurred speech. Kubiak escaped serious consequences. He plans to log 18-hour workdays for the Broncos but will attempt to reduce stress by better managing his responsibilities.
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“Maybe I was trying to take on too much in Houston. I needed to stop and take a better look at myself from that standpoint, because I had some great people working for me,” Kubiak said. “As far as wanting to teach, I will never run away from that. I love dealing with players young and old. That’s what makes me tick. I will keep doing that, but I also know that I am putting together a really good group here that I can trust.”
Kubiak, his family will tell you, has modified his diet and paid more attention to smaller details after he admittedly “ran myself down too much.” General manager John Elway said Kubiak “learned a lesson” from the episode. Kubiak passed a physical last week and looks lean and healthy.
Though he was happy as the Baltimore Ravens’ offensive coordinator, he and Rhonda didn’t hesitate when the Broncos called, an opportunity he called a “game-changer.”
“You saw how that played out in Houston,” Rhonda Kubiak said. “But it’s what they do. It’s their passion. Watching every Sunday, it just gives me and my mom and Gary’s mom so much joy to watch him at his best. So how can we deny him that? He’s doing great. I always worry about him, because I love him and I care so much. But in this business, there is a lot of pressure. The key is to eat right and sleep. But it’s all good.”
Troy E. Renck: trenck@denverpost.com or
