Kansas City Chiefs

Former NFL coach Marty Schottenheimer battling Alzheimer's disease

Published Oct. 28, 2016 5:05 p.m. ET

foxsports

Marty Schottenheimer, who coached the Browns, Chiefs, Redskins and Chargers in an NFL career that spanned five decades, is battling Alzheimer's disease, his wife confirmed to ESPN.

Schottenheimer was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's five years ago and is undergoing treatment to slow the effects of the disease.

"He's in the best of health, [but] sometimes he just doesn't remember everything," Pat Schottenheimer told ESPN Cleveland's Tony Grossi. "He functions extremely well, plays golf several times a week. He's got that memory lag where he'll ask you the same question three or four times. He remembers people and faces, and he pulls out strange things that I've never heard, but he's doing well. It's going be a long road. We both know that."

However, Schottenheimer and his wife attended the 30th reunion of the Browns' 1986 team this weekend in Ohio.

Marty Schottenheimer sharing some stories & laughs with fans visiting the Hall this morning #OriginalDawgs pic.twitter.com/HhTeXRAsjM
— Pro Football HOF (@ProFootballHOF) October 29, 2016

That Browns team reached the AFC Championship Game, where it lost to Denver — and again the next year.

Schottenheimer left the Browns after the 1988 season, finishing with a 46-31 record in Cleveland, and none of the 12 coaches who followed has had a winning tenure there in the 24 seasons since then. Not even Bill Belichick.

"It was the dumbest thing I did,” Schottenheimer told Grossi. “I mean, what the hell, leaving there. God only knows I might still be there. I’ve said to my wife and a number of people, of all the decisions I made in my life, it’s the one I regret the most.”

Chiefs coach Andy Reid said "prayers are with he and his family" in talking to reporters Friday, but Schottenheimer doesn't want people feeling sorry for him.

“I’m sitting here looking at a lake and it’s a spectacular setting," Schottenheimer told Grossi from his home overlooking Lake Norman near Charlotte, N.C.

"Pat and I, the Lord’s blessed us. I mean, there’s no other way I can identify it. We’re doing really good.”