Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
Packer's father dies
Punter Ryan's dad loses battle with rare form of cancer at 54
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) - After battling cancer, the father of Green Bay Packers punter Jon Ryan died Friday morning, coach Mike McCarthy told reporters after the team's practice.
Bob Ryan, 54, had been diagnosed with terminal cancer in the summer.
Jon Ryan, in his first NFL season, practiced with the team the past two days after McCarthy excused him to return to his home in Regina, Saskatchewan, and spend time with his father Wednesday.
Teammates said they were notified of the death before practice.
Jon Ryan practiced but wasn't in the locker room afterward.
McCarthy said he spoke with Ryan after the punter learned of his father's death.
“Based on our conversation, I anticipate him playing Sunday, but that's still open,” McCarthy said. “We're doing everything in his best interests and his familys best interests.”
The Packers play the New York Jets at Lambeau Field.
Long snapper Rob Davis said he expected Ryan would play and then return home after the game.
Davis credited Ryan's mental fortitude for hanging in from the start of the season amid his personal ordeal.
“I think he's doing what he probably thought his dad would want him to do,” Davis said. “I can't get inside and see what he thinks. We've had players in the past who lose loved ones. After the game on Sunday, he'll probably go home and be with his family. We really appreciate him fighting through it and coming out here on Sunday to try to help us get a win.”
Ryan, who previously was a standout in the Canadian Football League, ranks fifth in the NFL this season with an average of 45.4 yards per punt.
His father grew up in Canada as a fan of the Packers.
Bob Ryan was diagnosed with Chondrosarcoma, a rare cancer of bone cartilage, in August after he slipped and suffered a broken leg. The cancer spread from a leg and a hip to his lungs and the other hip.
The cancer wasn't treatable with chemotherapy or radiation, and Bob decided not to undergo an alternative treatment procedure of having his legs amputated.
While stricken with the cancer, Bob was able to attend two Packers games at Lambeau Field, one in the preseason in August and the Oct. 29 game against Arizona, which was a surprise to Jon.
In between those visits, McCarthy excused Jon to spend the team's entire bye week in mid-October at home with his father. Jon also had the blessing of Green Bay's first-year coach to leave the team for the final visit earlier this week.
“In establishing the program and how you deal with situations, I've told (the players) from Day 1, when it comes to personal issues, in my mind, it's clearly family first,” McCarthy said.
If Ryan is not available, McCarthy said rookie third-string quarterback Ingle Martin, who punted in college at Furman, would be the punter Sunday.
€ COLLINS PRACTICES, UPGRADED: The Packers are expected to have middle linebacker Nick Barnett back in the lineup Sunday and also could have safety Nick Collins.
Collins practiced Friday for the first time this week and was upgraded on the injury report from doubtful to questionable. Collins suffered an injury to his right hamstring and knee in the fourth quarter of Green Bay's 34-24 loss at Seattle on Monday night.
“I'm going to go out there, if they let me play. It'll be fine and dandy,” said Collins, who hasn't missed a game in his first two seasons. “I'm well (enough) to play, but it's not my decision. It's the coach's decision, and so we're going to go from there.”
Collins estimated he handled about 70 percent of the reps in team segments of practice. The other reps were split by first-year player Atari Bigby and rookie Tyrone Culver.
Meanwhile, Barnett declared himself fit to play Sunday after he practiced the last three days with a club-like cast on his broken right hand. The injury kept Barnett out of the game Monday.
He remains questionable on the injury report.
“I'm excited about playing with the club. I'm excited to see what happens with that thing. It's going to be fun,” Barnett said. “Today, I batted down a couple balls with it. I got excited.
“If I have to grab a guy and drag him down from the back, it might be a little trouble, but other than that, I'm looking forward to getting out there and playing with it.”
€ NOTES: RT Mark Tauscher (doubtful, groin) didnt practice this week and likely will miss his third straight game. Rookie Tony Moll would again start in Tauscher's place. TE David Martin (questionable, ribs) also didn't practice this week. CB Charles Woodson (probable, shoulder) returned to practice and is expected to play Sunday. LB Ben Taylor (hamstring) was upgraded from doubtful to questionable. Jenkins, who was ill earlier in the week, was removed from the injury report.
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) - After battling cancer, the father of Green Bay Packers punter Jon Ryan died Friday morning, coach Mike McCarthy told reporters after the team's practice.
Bob Ryan, 54, had been diagnosed with terminal cancer in the summer.
Jon Ryan, in his first NFL season, practiced with the team the past two days after McCarthy excused him to return to his home in Regina, Saskatchewan, and spend time with his father Wednesday.
Teammates said they were notified of the death before practice.
Jon Ryan practiced but wasn't in the locker room afterward.
McCarthy said he spoke with Ryan after the punter learned of his father's death.
“Based on our conversation, I anticipate him playing Sunday, but that's still open,” McCarthy said. “We're doing everything in his best interests and his familys best interests.”
The Packers play the New York Jets at Lambeau Field.
Long snapper Rob Davis said he expected Ryan would play and then return home after the game.
Davis credited Ryan's mental fortitude for hanging in from the start of the season amid his personal ordeal.
“I think he's doing what he probably thought his dad would want him to do,” Davis said. “I can't get inside and see what he thinks. We've had players in the past who lose loved ones. After the game on Sunday, he'll probably go home and be with his family. We really appreciate him fighting through it and coming out here on Sunday to try to help us get a win.”
Ryan, who previously was a standout in the Canadian Football League, ranks fifth in the NFL this season with an average of 45.4 yards per punt.
His father grew up in Canada as a fan of the Packers.
Bob Ryan was diagnosed with Chondrosarcoma, a rare cancer of bone cartilage, in August after he slipped and suffered a broken leg. The cancer spread from a leg and a hip to his lungs and the other hip.
The cancer wasn't treatable with chemotherapy or radiation, and Bob decided not to undergo an alternative treatment procedure of having his legs amputated.
While stricken with the cancer, Bob was able to attend two Packers games at Lambeau Field, one in the preseason in August and the Oct. 29 game against Arizona, which was a surprise to Jon.
In between those visits, McCarthy excused Jon to spend the team's entire bye week in mid-October at home with his father. Jon also had the blessing of Green Bay's first-year coach to leave the team for the final visit earlier this week.
“In establishing the program and how you deal with situations, I've told (the players) from Day 1, when it comes to personal issues, in my mind, it's clearly family first,” McCarthy said.
If Ryan is not available, McCarthy said rookie third-string quarterback Ingle Martin, who punted in college at Furman, would be the punter Sunday.
€ COLLINS PRACTICES, UPGRADED: The Packers are expected to have middle linebacker Nick Barnett back in the lineup Sunday and also could have safety Nick Collins.
Collins practiced Friday for the first time this week and was upgraded on the injury report from doubtful to questionable. Collins suffered an injury to his right hamstring and knee in the fourth quarter of Green Bay's 34-24 loss at Seattle on Monday night.
“I'm going to go out there, if they let me play. It'll be fine and dandy,” said Collins, who hasn't missed a game in his first two seasons. “I'm well (enough) to play, but it's not my decision. It's the coach's decision, and so we're going to go from there.”
Collins estimated he handled about 70 percent of the reps in team segments of practice. The other reps were split by first-year player Atari Bigby and rookie Tyrone Culver.
Meanwhile, Barnett declared himself fit to play Sunday after he practiced the last three days with a club-like cast on his broken right hand. The injury kept Barnett out of the game Monday.
He remains questionable on the injury report.
“I'm excited about playing with the club. I'm excited to see what happens with that thing. It's going to be fun,” Barnett said. “Today, I batted down a couple balls with it. I got excited.
“If I have to grab a guy and drag him down from the back, it might be a little trouble, but other than that, I'm looking forward to getting out there and playing with it.”
€ NOTES: RT Mark Tauscher (doubtful, groin) didnt practice this week and likely will miss his third straight game. Rookie Tony Moll would again start in Tauscher's place. TE David Martin (questionable, ribs) also didn't practice this week. CB Charles Woodson (probable, shoulder) returned to practice and is expected to play Sunday. LB Ben Taylor (hamstring) was upgraded from doubtful to questionable. Jenkins, who was ill earlier in the week, was removed from the injury report.
 |
 |
|
| Coaching honors go to YSU's Eddy | Criticism baffles Urlacher |
Article Rating
Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of beloitdailynews.com.
Submit a Comment
Login below to post your comment. |
Not yet a member? Use the form below to register. |
