Brad Childress fired by the Minnesota Vikings
After weeks of speculation, the Minnesota Vikings fired head coach Brad Childress on Monday following a 31-1 loss to Green Bay. Leslie Frazier, the Vikings’ defensive coordinator since 2007, will take over as interim head coach.
The Vikings’ season has gone from bad to worse after a number of controversial decisions and comments from Childress. Not long after the players convinced Brett Favre to come out of retirement at the start of the season, it became clear that he and the coach
were not on favourable terms.
Favre threw three interceptions in a 28-24 loss to the Packers on 24 October, and Childress was publicly critical of Favre even though the coach was being criticized himself for failing to challenge a third down touchdown catch that could have been overruled.
Replays showed that the Packers’ receiver, Andrew Quarless, was bobbling the ball as he fell out of bounds.
Childress acquired disgruntled wide receiver Randy Moss on 6 October from the New England Patriots for a third round pick. But the move turned out to be ineffective as he ended up waiving Moss four weeks later in a move that surprised many of the players
on the team.
A couple of days before Moss was waived, he was openly critical of Childress for not kicking a field goal as the second quarter came to an end in a 28-18 loss to the Patriots.
The Vikings are 3-7 and trail The Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers in the NFC North, who both have 7-3 records. It is very unlikely the team will challenge for a play-off spot this season.
Childress started as Minnesota’s head coach in 2006. In that year, the team went 6-10, and he never gained the confidence of the fans or the players. Players complained that he had trouble communicating with them.
The next year the team improved to 8-8, but failed to make the play-offs, although they did win the division the next two years. They only managed to win one game in the play-offs under Childress. That play-off record was part of the organization’s decision
to fire him.
"The past five years have been a tremendous experience for my family and I as the Head Coach of the Minnesota Vikings," said Childress in a statement posted on the team’s website. "I have a great respect for the players and coaches who I have worked with
and for their dedication to each other and to the organization. I am proud of our accomplishments and believe the foundation of this football team is stronger today than when I became Head Coach in 2006. I appreciate the opportunity that Zygi, Mark, and the
whole Wilf family afforded me and wish them success as they move forward."
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