Heart Infection Will Sideline Martz Indefinitely

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The New York Sun

ST. LOUIS – Mike Martz is out indefinitely as coach of the St. Louis Rams with a bacterial infection of the heart.


Martz was told by a specialist yesterday that his condition, which kept him out of two practices last week, had worsened. The 54-year-old has been ill for more than a month and was tested for endocarditis, a bacterial infection of the lining of the heart or a heart valve.


Rams president John Shaw said yesterday that Martz will be hospitalized four to 12 days but would not speculate on the length of his absence. Shaw said he wasn’t told the specific name of the illness, but was led to believe that Martz’s heart valve had weakened since last week.


“I think he was concerned he was letting down a lot of people, but also had concern about the gravity of the situation,” Shaw said.


The antibiotics that Martz began taking on Friday didn’t seem to help, Shaw said, but he didn’t know if any additional procedures would be necessary. Severe cases of endocarditis can require open-heart surgery.


Assistant head coach Joe Vitt will take over as coach. Martz told his players during a brief but emotional team meeting that he would step aside, Vitt said.


Now in his sixth season with the Rams, Martz is 56-36 including the postseason. The Rams have missed the playoffs just once in his tenure (2002) and reached the Super Bowl after the 2001 season, losing 20-17 to New England.


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