ST. LOUIS, Oct. 5 (UPI) -- St. Louis Rams Coach Mike Martz may have a bacterial infection of a heart valve.
In a statement Wednesday, team physician Dr. Doug Pogue said he suspects Martz, who has been battling an unknown illness for nearly a month, could have a condition called endocarditis.
"This can't be confirmed for a number of days until a series of blood tests are concluded," Martz said. "Diagnosed early, this can be treated through a lengthy series of antibiotics with full recovery. However, this infection causes a great deal of fatigue and is somewhat debilitating. Consequently, I will limit my work day as much as possible until I can start to recover."
Martz was scheduled to miss team practices on Wednesday and Thursday. A decision about his availability for Sunday, when the Rams host the Seattle Seahawks, has not yet been made. The Rams lost 44-24 to the New York Giants last Sunday, to fall to 2-2.
