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After Successful Surgery, DeCamillis Could Be Back Soon
Josh Ellis - Email
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
December 28, 2009 5:28 AM
LANDOVER, Md. - Cowboys special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis, who missed Sunday's game after an emergency appendectomy, could return to work in a matter of days, a source who had been with the coach said.
DeCamillis reported stomach pains early Sunday afternoon, as players and coaches rested for the night's game against the Washington Commanders. He was rushed to an Arlington, Va. area hospital, where doctors removed his appendix.
The source said DeCamillis watched the 17-0 win over the Commanders from his hospital room, and was able to walk Sunday night. He is expected to return home Monday afternoon, and has been advised he can pick up desk work in three days, the source said.
Given DeCamillis' recent history, a quicker comeback wouldn't be too surprising. After suffering a broken neck in the collapse of the team's practice facility on May 2, the 22-year NFL assistant returned to limited on-field duties just over a month later, conducting his unit's portion of summer practices while wearing a restrictive brace.
Offensive quality control coach Wes Phillips assumed DeCamillis' special teams duties in his absence. Phillips sits in on special teams meetings, and is versed in DeCamillis' calls, but said there was no official contingency plan for such an emergency.
"I don't know that you prepare ever for a coach to go down," Phillips said. "I was told about 3 o'clock, 'Hey, Joe D., we don't know what's wrong with him yet but he may not be there.' He had left all of his game-day stuff, so I started making sure I looked over it even more."
Wade Phillips informed the team of DeCamillis' successful surgery before the game.
The Cowboys special teams performed well on the night. New kicker Shaun Suisham booted a 23-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, and Washington's average starting position was its own 24-yard line.
"Today it was really a testament to Joe D. and the way he prepares them," Wes Phillips said. "The guys that have been around, our leaders on teams, they stepped up and took care of business."
In the first season under DeCamillis, the Cowboys' special teams have undergone a dramatic improvement, turning what had been a weakness in 2008 into one of the club's real strengths.
Punter Mat McBriar, who had a tremendous outing, averaging a 47-yard net on the kicks, gives DeCamillis entire credit with the turnaround in the kicking game this year. The coach's demanding practices are much of the reason.
"Just about all of it," McBriar said."He's very good motivating us, and if he's here or if he's not here, the guys still want to play as hard as they can for him."
Wes Phillips was designated to lead the special teams meetings during DeCamillis' initial recovery period after neck surgery in May.
"Wes is always there. He's always been there," McBriar said. "I think he did a fantastic job, he really got the core guys together . . . I think the guys were wanting to pull together and not let everyone down, especially Joe."
http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/news.cfm?id=D50D1D95-AB5C-8E87-4303DC8F1FFFAD44
After Successful Surgery, DeCamillis Could Be Back Soon
Josh Ellis - Email
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
December 28, 2009 5:28 AM
LANDOVER, Md. - Cowboys special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis, who missed Sunday's game after an emergency appendectomy, could return to work in a matter of days, a source who had been with the coach said.
DeCamillis reported stomach pains early Sunday afternoon, as players and coaches rested for the night's game against the Washington Commanders. He was rushed to an Arlington, Va. area hospital, where doctors removed his appendix.
The source said DeCamillis watched the 17-0 win over the Commanders from his hospital room, and was able to walk Sunday night. He is expected to return home Monday afternoon, and has been advised he can pick up desk work in three days, the source said.
Given DeCamillis' recent history, a quicker comeback wouldn't be too surprising. After suffering a broken neck in the collapse of the team's practice facility on May 2, the 22-year NFL assistant returned to limited on-field duties just over a month later, conducting his unit's portion of summer practices while wearing a restrictive brace.
Offensive quality control coach Wes Phillips assumed DeCamillis' special teams duties in his absence. Phillips sits in on special teams meetings, and is versed in DeCamillis' calls, but said there was no official contingency plan for such an emergency.
"I don't know that you prepare ever for a coach to go down," Phillips said. "I was told about 3 o'clock, 'Hey, Joe D., we don't know what's wrong with him yet but he may not be there.' He had left all of his game-day stuff, so I started making sure I looked over it even more."
Wade Phillips informed the team of DeCamillis' successful surgery before the game.
The Cowboys special teams performed well on the night. New kicker Shaun Suisham booted a 23-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, and Washington's average starting position was its own 24-yard line.
"Today it was really a testament to Joe D. and the way he prepares them," Wes Phillips said. "The guys that have been around, our leaders on teams, they stepped up and took care of business."
In the first season under DeCamillis, the Cowboys' special teams have undergone a dramatic improvement, turning what had been a weakness in 2008 into one of the club's real strengths.
Punter Mat McBriar, who had a tremendous outing, averaging a 47-yard net on the kicks, gives DeCamillis entire credit with the turnaround in the kicking game this year. The coach's demanding practices are much of the reason.
"Just about all of it," McBriar said."He's very good motivating us, and if he's here or if he's not here, the guys still want to play as hard as they can for him."
Wes Phillips was designated to lead the special teams meetings during DeCamillis' initial recovery period after neck surgery in May.
"Wes is always there. He's always been there," McBriar said. "I think he did a fantastic job, he really got the core guys together . . . I think the guys were wanting to pull together and not let everyone down, especially Joe."
http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/news.cfm?id=D50D1D95-AB5C-8E87-4303DC8F1FFFAD44
