Rhodes will return at a reduced rate

KIRKLAND – While he’s still waiting for clearance from doctors, Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said Monday that he expects defensive coordinator Ray Rhodes to return to work – albeit on a limited basis.

Rhodes, who was hospitalized last week for the second time this season due to stroke-like symptoms, is scheduled to meet with Holmgren today regarding his immediate future.

“I told Ray that we’re going to sit down, and ‘I’m going to tell you some things that you have to do,’ ” Holmgren said, referring mostly to the hours Rhodes will put in. “Which I did before, and he assured me he’d do them, but I don’t think he did them the way I would have liked. He cheated on me a little. This is going to be different.”

Rhodes was released from the hospital over the weekend and, according to Holmgren, was already feeling “much better” as of Monday morning.

The 55-year-old defensive coordinator checked himself into a hospital Friday morning after feeling symptoms that were similar to the ones he experienced during a Sept. 4 stroke.

“He was feeling better pretty quickly,” Holmgren said. “He came home from the hospital on Saturday, and he was feeling better right away.”

Holmgren said that Rhodes will return to work, but nothing is official until he gets clearance from doctors.

While the second episode seemed to leave Rhodes’s season in question, Holmgren said he would rather let the coach continue to do his job.

“I think there is some truth that, if you take something away from somebody, it might cause more problems than help,” Holmgren said. “I want to do the right thing. Ray knows we’ll do the right thing.”

Rhodes has missed just two games – the opener at Jacksonville and Sunday’s game at Arizona – but has taken a backseat to acting defensive coordinator John Marshall on Sundays. After his initial stroke, Rhodes needed 3 1/2 weeks before he was allowed to return to the practice field.

This time, Rhodes will be asked to make some concessions – and adhere to them.

“We’re going to talk about it and stick with it,” Holmgren said. “This is the way it is, and this is the way it is – no arguments.”