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Mike Westhoff and the late Gunther Cunningham have won the 2019 Paul “Dr. Z” Zimmerman Award from the Professional Football Writers of America.Cunningham spent 33 of his 35 NFL seasons as an assistant coach Drew Lock Jersey , renowned for his feared defensive units in Kansas City over two stints and nine seasons as the Chiefs‘ defensive coordinator. Westhoff spent 32 seasons as an NFL assistant coach and is regarded as a special teams pioneer.The Dr. Z Award is given for lifetime achievement as an assistant coach in the NFL and is named for Zimmerman, who covered the NFL for 29 years as Sports Illustrated’s pro football writer.Cunningham, born in Germany, was a three-year linebacker and placekicker at Oregon (1966-68), and started his coaching career with the Ducks as a defensive line coach (1969-71). He also was a college assistant at Arkansas, Stanford, and California. His first pro job was with the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 1981 as defensive line and linebackers coach. In 1982, he entered the NFL with the same jobs for the Baltimore Colts.Cunningham spent six seasons with the San Diego Chargers, then four with the Los Angeles Raiders (1991-94) for four seasons, including two as defensive coordinator (1992-93). He was hired by the Chiefs in 1995 as defensive coordinator and worked with linebacker Derrick Thomas during his Hall of Fame career. After four seasons as D-coordinator, Cunningham became Chiefs head coach for two seasons (1999-2000), going 16-16. Then the Titans hired him as assistant head coach and linebackers coach before the Chiefs rehired Cunningham for a second stint as defensive coordinator from 2004-08. He also worked for the Lions.Westhoff played linebacker or one year at Wyoming and then spent three seasons at Wichita State (1967-69) as a center and linebacker. He began coaching as a graduate assistantand freshman coach at Indiana http://www.broncoscheapauthenticstore.com/dre_mont-jones-jersey-cheap , also worked for Dayton, Indiana State, Northwestern and TCU (1981). In 1982, Westhoff got his first NFL job with the Baltimore Colts as an offensive line, tight ends and special teams coach, and he worked for the franchise for three seasons. After one season (1985) with the USFL’s Arizona Outlaws as offensive line coach, he returned to the NFL with the Dolphins. Westhoff spent 15 seasons there as special teams coach: His punt and kickoff coverage units were top ranked for four seasons, and he was voted NFL special teams coach of the year by his peers in 2000.A survivor of bone cancer, Westhoff moved to the New York Jets, where he spent 12 seasons as special teams coordinator; he was also assistant head coach for two seasons (2004-05). The Jets’ kickoff coverage and return units combined to rank first in the NFL in both 2001 and 2002.Westhoff retired after the 2012 season, but was lured back into the NFL in midseason 2017 by New Orleans to oversee the Saints‘ special teams units, and he coached with the Saints through the 2018 season.Other 2019 nominees for the Dr. Z Award were the late offensive line coach Bobb McKittrick; current Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator and defensive line coach Rod Marinelli; and current Jacksonville Jaguars running backs coach Terry Robiskie. RENTON http://www.eaglescheapauthenticstore.com/shareef-miller-jersey-cheap , Wash. (AP) — Mychal Kendricks‘ awkward season came to an abrupt end Wednesday when the linebacker was placed on injured reserve after injuring his left leg in the Seattle Seahawks‘ win over Minnesota.Coach Pete Carroll said Kendricks will need surgery to repair what sounds like a pair of injuries to his left knee and leg. Carroll didn’t get into specifics.“There’s a little nick in there. There’s a couple of things they’re going to work on. It’s not a terrible knee injury but it’s going to take a little bit,” Carroll said, noting it likely would have taken Kendricks at least six to eight weeks of recovery to come back.The injury brought an end to a roller coaster season for Kendricks. The Minnesota game Monday night was his first following an eight-game suspension handed down by the NFL after Kendricks pleaded guilty to federal insider trading charges. Kendricks was originally suspended indefinitely but the suspension was reduced.Kendricks started the season in Cleveland but he was released in late August after he was charged. Seattle signed him before Week 2 and he played in three games prior to his suspension.“It’s just been such a difficult season for Mychal. My heart goes out to him,” Carroll said. “He wants to be part of this thing so badly. He doesn’t get to this time around. We’ll look forward to getting him back next time and being with us.”When and if Kendricks ever rejoins the Seahawks is likely in the hands of a federal judge. Kendricks is expected to be sentenced sometime in the first couple months of 2019.He may still be recovering from surgery when that happens. Kendricks was hurt in the third quarter of the 21-7 win over the Vikings but missed only a couple of plays. He was examined by trainers and returned to the field. Kendricks played 76 percent of the defensive snaps.“Getting back with the guys, getting acclimated to the system and practicing well, it turned over to the game, the game is just like practice,” Kendricks said after the game. “We’ve been practicing well and we play well. And we came away with the victory.”Seattle middle linebacker Bobby Wagner said that for a few moments, it seemed like a revolving door playing next to him. Kendricks left the field to be replaced by Shaquem Griffin, and then he was replaced by Austin Calitro before Kendricks was back on the field.“I didn’t know the extent of the injury,” Wagner said. “Something might have happened, he mentioned something Zach Brown Jersey , but he said he felt good, said he was OK and went out there. I didn’t know it was that extent until after the game.”With Kendricks out, the Seahawks will likely rely on Calitro in the short term with the hope that veteran K.J. Wright will be able to return before the end of the regular season. Wright has played in just three games this season due to surgery to repair a knee injury suffered in the preseason. He returned in Week 8 and played three straight weeks before missing the past four games.“He’s getting close. This will be an important week to work him back in and then hopefully a couple of weeks from now we’ll have a chance to get him back,” Carroll said.Calitro has proven to be a capable fill-in after some struggles early in the season and he could end up being one of Seattle’s main options going into next season. The second-year player started three games at weakside linebacker this season, but Calitro said it was the game he started in Week 2 at middle linebacker that really helped his development.“The game just finally slowed down for me. I don’t feel like I’m playing catch up as much as I was at the beginning of the season,” Calitro said. “I got comfortable with both positions and know how each position is fitting off each other.”NOTES: Carroll sounded hopeful that WR Doug Baldwin (hip/groin) would be able to return this week against San Francisco, saying he would be monitored day to day. But he all but ruled out guard D.J. Fluker (hamstring), saying it would be “something special” for Fluker to be ready. Both players missed last week’s game. Fluker was replaced by Jordan Simmons, who played well in his second start of the season. … Seattle promoted LB Emmanuel Ellerbee to take the roster spot of Kendricks.