Tony Dungy won’t be Vikings next head coach
While Leslie Frazier takes on the Minnesota Vikings head coaching position for the remainder of the season, the question of who will coach the team next year remains.
There is a strong list of candidates, including Bill Cowher, John Gruden, Bill Parcells and of course, Leslie Frazier. One previous Super Bowl champion coach who will not be in the running is former Colts head coach Tony Dungy.
While there was much speculation that Dungy would be an ideal candidate, he quickly dismissed his interest in the position. In a phone interview with
The Associated Press Monday 22 November, Dungy explained that he enjoys working as a columnist at NBC, and that he’s happy being able to watch his son play college football at Oregon.
Dungy was raised in Minnesota and has many sports grassroots there, including playing quarterback for the University of Minnesota, as well as serving as defensive coordinator with the Minnesota Vikings. There were reports that Dungy would be handed the head
coaching duties at his Alma Master after the Gophers fired Tim Brewster, but Dungy was not interested.
With the subsequent firing of Brad Childress as Vikings coach, the rumors began to swirl again that Dungy was in line to take reigns over the struggling team.
Instead, the job was temporarily handed to Frazier, who has Superbowl experience, and was Dungy’s defensive coordinator in 2007, the year the Colts were champions. The two remain close friends and speak to each other on a regular basis.
"I know he feels like he's ready for the job," Dungy told the AP.
Frazier has admitted he will lean on Dungy for advice over the next six weeks, as he tries to assert himself as an NFL head coach. "No question, Tony and I will be talking often in the days and weeks to come."
The question now is whether Frazier can turn this team around and at least salvage a season. If not, there will be a talented line of coaching predecessors looking to make a return to the NFL.
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