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John Fox compares his heart surgery to ankle sprain

NEW YORK -- Denver Broncos coach John Fox wrapped up a week of availability by joining Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll for a joint news conference Friday.

The highlight was the laugh Fox drew from Carroll when he compared his early November emergency heart surgery to a sprained ankle. Fox was given a four-week timetable to return to "normalcy."

"I felt 150 percent better," Fox said. "I had a valve that ... the opening was the size of a pinhead. Now it's a 50-cent piece."

Here's what else we learned about the Broncos on Friday:

  1. Asked if players feel a sense of urgency with NFL legends Peyton Manning and Champ Bailey in a limited championship window, Fox said the two leaders "raise all boats," elevating their teammates to a higher level. Manning has had "too many leadership moments to name," Fox added.
  1. Although the Broncos' offense and the Seahawks' defense both are viewed as historically great, Fox believes Super Bowl games are often decided by "an unknown guy who makes a critical play." By Sunday night, we'll have the latest version of Super Bowl heroes David Tyree (Giants) and Chris Reis (Saints).
  1. Fox wouldn't take the bait when queried about an aspect of the Seahawks team that he would trade for his own, but he did allow that he admires the "length, speed and athleticism" of the "Legion of Boom" secondary.