RENTON, Wash. -- Ken Lucas just played the toughest game of his nine-year career.
The Seahawks' cornerback started Sunday's win over Jacksonville less than 48 hours after he found out his father Clyde had died.
Seattle coach Jim Mora said Monday the team and Lucas learned of the unexpected death Friday night. The 30-year-old Lucas then decided to play.
"Kenny played through a heavy heart and played very well," said Mora. "I can't imagine what that would be like. I don't want to."
Mora did not mention the cause of death. He only emphasized it "was not expected."
According to the players' union, Lucas' father had overcome lung cancer. He was diagnosed with the disease in 2002, during his son's second season with Seattle.
"It's sad to say, but up until that point, I really didn't know if I truly cared about my dad," Lucas said in an article from July 2008 posted on the NFL Players Association web site. "But I feel like (the cancer diagnosis) was a way to bring us together.
"When my mom (Deborah) called and told me, the first thing I asked her was, 'Is my dad going to die?' Even though things were not always peaches and cream growing up, I never really knew that I truly loved him until she called and told me he had lung cancer. That was when things got better between my dad and me."
Lucas left Seattle as a free agent following the 2004 season. He returned this offseason as a free agent after four seasons spent playing for Carolina.
Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press
