This week, “NYP TV Sports’ ” Andrew Marchand spoke with ESPN’s Mike Patrick. In August, Patrick had triple-bypass and carotid artery surgery. Out since the NFL preseason, Patrick will return to ESPN’s “Sunday Night Football” Oct. 10.

Q: How do you feel?

A: I feel terrific, better than I have any right to.

Q: How old are you? And how scary of a process was this for you?

A: I just turned 60. I guess I almost didn’t make it. Scary? Actually, I fooled myself really well. I figured I couldn’t get scared because my wife and my mother would see it and be frightened. So I was going to say goodbye to them before I allowed myself to get scared, knowing that if it went right, the anesthesiologist would put me to sleep before I had a chance. That is the way it worked.

Q: What is the rehabilitation?

A: Basically, letting your body heal, and they want you to walk as much as possible. Because they cut the breastbone for the surgery they won’t let you do any upper-body stuff at all. You are not supposed to lift more than 5 pounds. My cardiologist said once I can walk to California and back, I don’t have to walk any farther than that. [Patrick lives in Virginia.]

Q: How did you find out that you had this condition?

A: I had a whole bunch of little symptoms that didn’t really match heart problems. I had a cramp in my throat and I had some numbness in my hands; then we were on a golf trip and I felt [ill] after a round of golf.

It was hot and all my partners said, “It is heat related, don’t worry about it.” There were just too many things, so I called the doctor and he sent me to a cardiologist. From there, it wasn’t hard to figure out something was really wrong. About five days later, I had the surgery.

Q: How hard has it been not being able to do your job?

A: I never missed a game in my life. I’ve done games with double pneumonia and a temperature of 103. I did a game the night before my father passed away and the night after because he wanted me to do it. So it has really been odd.