Dennis Green

Dennis Earl Green (February 17, 1949 – July 21, 2016) was an American football coach. During his National Football League (NFL) career, Green coached the Minnesota Vikings for 10 seasons. He coached the Vikings to eight playoff appearances in nine years, despite having seven different starting quarterbacks in those postseasons.[1] He was posthumously inducted into the Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor in 2018.

For the Australian canoer, see Dennis Green (canoeist). For the professor of German, see Dennis Howard Green.

Dennis Green
Green, circa 2015
Personal information
Born:(1949-02-17)February 17, 1949
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Died:July 22, 2016(2016-07-22) (aged 67)
San Diego, California
Career information
High school:Harrisburg
(Harrisburg, Pennsylvania)
College:Iowa
Undrafted:1971
Career history
As player:
As coach:
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Win–loss record:113–94
Postseason record:4–8
NCAA record:26–63

Green was the Vikings head coach from 1992 to 2001. He was one of the winningest coaches of the 1990s, posting a 97-62 record as Vikings head coach. Green's best season in Minnesota was in 1998, when the Vikings finished 15–1 and set the NFL record for most points in a season at the time; however, the Vikings would be upset by the Atlanta Falcons in that year's NFC Championship Game, and Green was unable to reach the Super Bowl throughout his otherwise successful tenure with Minnesota. Following his first losing record in 2001, he was fired just before the final game of the season.

Green was hired by the Cardinals to serve as the head coach for the 2004 season, a franchise then-noted for its futility, which had posted only one winning season in a quarter-century. In Arizona, Green was unable to match his success in Minnesota, and his poor win-loss record (16–32) with the Cardinals was similar to that of his predecessors in Arizona. However, some commentators describe Green's tenure with Arizona as an inflection point in the history of the Cardinals, arguing that the culture of the team changed under Green, and noting that the core of the personnel in the Cardinals' 2008 Super Bowl run was acquired by Green.

Early life

Green grew up in a working class household in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. His father was a postal worker and his mother a beautician. His father died when Green was 11 and his mother died when he was 13. Green said that he was in attendance at the March 2, 1962 NBA game in Hershey, Pennsylvania where Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points.

Green attended John Harris High School (now Harrisburg High School) in Harrisburg, and graduated cum laude from the University of Iowa with a BA in finance.[2] According to Green, he was planning to be a high school teacher if his football career didn't pan out. In college, he started as halfback in each of his three seasons with the Iowa Hawkeyes.[3] Green played briefly for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League in 1971, then worked as an assistant coach at the University of Dayton, University of Iowa and Stanford University, initially under Bill Walsh.

College coaching career

In 1981, Green was named the head coach of Northwestern University, a school that had gone 1–31–1 in its last 33 games. In 1981, he was only the second African American head coach in Division I-A history (the previous coach, Willie Jeffries, coached at Wichita State, which no longer has a football team).[4] Green was named the Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year, as chosen by writers and broadcasters, in 1982 at Northwestern.[5] He left Northwestern in 1985, doing a stint as receivers coach for the San Francisco 49ers under his former boss at Stanford, Bill Walsh.

In 1989, Green took the head coaching position at Stanford University, inheriting a team that had graduated 17 of its 21 starters from 1988. Green led the Cardinal from 1989 to 1991. During that time, his teams finished with an overall record of 16–18, a .471 winning percentage, going 3–0 in the Big Game against the California Golden Bears. In 1990, his Stanford team defeated top-ranked Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. His tenure culminated with an 8–3 record (Stanford's best since 1986). A loss to Washington in the opening game of the season was the deciding factor for the Pac-10 championship. The Cardinal made an appearance in the 1991 Aloha Bowl, where his team lost to Georgia Tech on a last-minute touchdown.

Professional coaching career

Minnesota Vikings

Green was a disciple of Bill Walsh's West Coast offense and was touted by Walsh and other NFL pundits as a likely candidate to be the second African-American head coach in the NFL. On January 10, 1992, Green was named 5th head coach of the Minnesota Vikings, replacing the retiring Jerry Burns. The day he was introduced as the Vikings' head coach, he announced that there was a "new sheriff in town". He would be only the second African American head coach after Art Shell in the modern NFL era and the first to do so without ever playing in the NFL. He was only the third of all time after Fritz Pollard and Shell.

Through his first six years with the team, Green never posted a losing record and the team failed to qualify for the playoffs only once. Initially, Green earned widespread praise for turning around what had recently been a lackluster franchise. However, as the team's fan-base grew accustomed to regular season success, Green came under criticism for failing to advance the team deeper into the playoffs.

In 1996, two members of the Vikings' ownership board, Wheelock Whitney and Jane Dyer, reportedly contacted Lou Holtz, who was the coach of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team and former coach of the Minnesota Golden Gophers football team. They wanted to bring Holtz in to replace Green.[6] Holtz abruptly announced his retirement in 1996, and rumors surrounded the reasons, one of which was the possible Vikings head coaching position.[7]

In 1997, Green published his autobiography No Room For Crybabies, in which he responded to the criticism and perceived personal vendettas by Twin Cities sports writers Bob Sansevere, Dan Barreiro, and Patrick Reusse.[8] He threatened to sue the team as his response to the Lou Holtz rumors.[9][10]

The high point of Green's Vikings career was the 1998 season, when the team went 15–1 and set the NFL record for the most points scored in a season (the 2013 Denver Broncos under John Fox currently hold this record). The Vikings advanced to the NFC Championship game, losing to the Atlanta Falcons after Atlanta's Morten Andersen made a field goal in overtime.

In 2001, the Vikings finished with a losing record for the first time in Green's decade with the team. The Vikings bought out Green's contract on January 4, 2002. Assistant coach Mike Tice led the team in their final regular season game against the Baltimore Ravens, and was eventually hired as the head coach.

Arizona Cardinals

After spending two seasons as an analyst for ESPN, Green was hired as head coach by the Arizona Cardinals on January 7, 2004. Through his first two years with the team, Green totaled 11 wins with the Cardinals and finished 3rd and 2nd in the NFC West, an improvement over predecessor Dave McGinnis. Unlike his previous two seasons, the 2006 season began with great expectations for the Cardinals with the opening of a new stadium, sellout crowds, the drafting of quarterback Matt Leinart, and the signing of Pro Bowl running back Edgerrin James. After a solid start, the Cardinals suffered some tough early losses.

"They are who we thought they were"

The worst of these came in a Monday Night Football game on October 16, 2006. After losing a 20-point lead to the Chicago Bears in less than twenty minutes, the generally soft-spoken Green threw a tirade during a post-game media conference. In that conference, Green lashed out in response to questions about Arizona's tenacious defense that forced six turnovers and for most of the game shut down the Chicago offense:[11]

The Bears are what we thought they were. They're what we thought they were. We played them in preseason – who the hell takes a third game of the preseason like it's bullshit? Bullshit! We played them in the third game – everybody played three quarters – the Bears are who we thought they were! That's why we took the damn field! Now if you want to crown them, then crown their ass! But they are who we thought they were! And we let 'em off the hook![12]

The day after the press conference, offensive coordinator Keith Rowen was fired and replaced with quarterbacks coach Mike Kruczek. Although Green later apologized for the outburst, and the Cardinals rallied to win four of their last seven games (including a rare win over playoff-bound Seattle), many pundits felt that the loss to Chicago and ensuing tirade had already sealed Green's fate. On January 1, 2007, the Cardinals fired Green with a year left on his contract.[13]

Green's tirade is still used heavily in NFL media coverage today, often comically, to describe the obvious flaws of an opponent and the failure to capitalize on that knowledge. It was featured in a Coors TV advertisement.[14]

In August 2007, the Westwood One radio network announced that it had hired Green to serve as a color analyst on their Thursday night NFL broadcasts.[15]

California Redwoods

On March 11, 2009, it was announced that Green would be the head coach of the San Francisco franchise for the United Football League's inaugural season.[16]

Green's first game as California Redwoods coach was a 30–17 loss to the Las Vegas Locomotives.[17]

Sacramento Mountain Lions

Beginning with the 2010 season, the Redwoods moved to Sacramento and were renamed the Mountain Lions. Green remained as head coach for the 2011 seasons as well, his final season with the Mountain Lions. After leaving the team, Green sued the league for lack of payment on a $1.5 million contract for the 2011 season. (The United Football League suspended play in October 2012 amid lawsuits alleging unpaid debts.) An arbitrator awarded Green $990,000 for the 2011 season, and the award was upheld in February 2014 by a San Francisco Superior Court judge. The judgment was never collected because of the league's poor financial condition.[18]

Death

On July 22, 2016, Green died at the age of 67 due to complications from cardiac arrest.[19][20] He was survived by his wife and four children.[19]

After his death, the Vikings team released a statement saying, "He mentored countless players and served as a father figure for the men he coached. He took great pride in helping assistant coaches advance their careers. His tenure as one of the first African American head coaches in both college and the NFL was also transformative. Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Green family."[20]

Head coaching record

College
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs Coaches# AP°
Northwestern Wildcats (Big Ten Conference) (1981–1985)
1981 Northwestern 0–110–910th
1982 Northwestern 3–82–7T–8th
1983 Northwestern 2–92–7T–8th
1984 Northwestern 2–92–79th
1985 Northwestern 3–81–7T–9th
Northwestern: 10–457–37
Stanford Cardinal (Pacific-10 Conference) (1989–1991)
1989 Stanford 3–83–5T–7th
1990 Stanford 5–64–4T–6th
1991 Stanford 8–46–2T–2ndL Aloha2222
Stanford: 16–1813–11
Total:26–63

NFL
TeamYearRegular seasonPostseason
WonLostTiesWin %FinishWonLostWin %Result
MIN1992 1150.6881st in NFC Central01.000Lost to Washington Redskins in NFC Wild Card Game
MIN1993 970.5622nd in NFC Central01.000Lost to New York Giants in NFC Wild Card Game
MIN1994 1060.6251st in NFC Central01.000Lost to Chicago Bears in NFC Wild Card Game
MIN1995 880.5004th in NFC Central––––
MIN1996 970.5622nd in NFC Central01.000Lost to Dallas Cowboys in NFC Wild Card Game
MIN1997 970.5624th in NFC Central11.500Lost to San Francisco 49ers in NFC Divisional Game
MIN1998 1510.9381st in NFC Central11.500Lost to Atlanta Falcons in NFC Championship Game
MIN1999 1060.6252nd in NFC Central11.500Lost to St. Louis Rams in NFC Divisional Game
MIN2000 1150.6881st in NFC Central11.500Lost to New York Giants in NFC Championship Game
MIN2001* 5100.3334th in NFC Central––––
MIN Total97620.61048.333
ARI2004 6100.3753rd in NFC West––––
ARI2005 5110.3133rd in NFC West––––
ARI2006 5110.3134th in NFC West––––
ARI Total16320.333–––
Total[21]113940.54648.333

*Only coached 15 games

United Football League
TeamYearRegular seasonPostseason
WonLostTiesWin %FinishWonLostWin %Result
CAL2009 240.3333rd in UFL––––
SAC2010 440.5003rd in UFL––––
SAC2011 230.4003rd in UFL––––
Total8110.421-–––

See also
  • List of National Football League head coaches with 50 wins

References
  1. http://www.footballperspective.com/dennis-green-and-the-revolving-quarterback-door/
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on October 5, 2008. Retrieved October 14, 2008.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 25, 1969 (all-Big-Ten honorable mention for Green).
  4. Black Coaches Association – Default Archived May 28, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  5. Big Ten Conference Archived April 22, 2009, at the Wayback Machine – Football media guide
  6. Vikings' owners divided on Holtz. Ron Holtz. Associated Press. November 19, 1996. copy hosted on southcoasttoday.com
  7. VIKINGS' GREEN SAYS HIS TEAM'S IN HUNT Lee Shappell. Arizona Republic
  8. Robson, Britt (January 14, 1998). "Personal Foul". City Pages. Archived from the original on April 4, 2014.
  9. Green, Dennis; Gene McGivern (November 1997). No Room For Crybabies. Sagamore Publishing. p. 224. ISBN 1-57167-175-7. There's no room for crybabies.
  10. Seidel, Jeff (October 25, 1997). "Will Vikings throw the book at Green?". St. Paul Pioneer-Press. Archived from the original on October 25, 1997.
  11. Dennis Green Flips on YouTube
  12. http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/07/dennis-green-press-conference
  13. Bob Baum (January 1, 2007). "Arizona Cardinals fire coach".
  14. Video on YouTube
  15. Thursday Night Football on Westwood One Archived September 28, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  16. "United Football League Announces Former NFL Coaches Jim Fassel, Dennis Green, Jim Haslett & Ted Cottrell as Head Coaches for "UFL Premiere" Season". Reuters. March 11, 2009. Archived from the original on March 16, 2009.
  17. Associated Press (October 9, 2009). "Las Vegas beats California in UFL debut".
  18. Dale Kasler, Ex-NFL coach fighting owners of defunct Sacramento team over $1 million in back pay, Sacramento Bee (January 14, 2016).
  19. Mather, Victor (July 22, 2016). "Dennis Green, Pioneering Coach of the Vikings and the Cardinals, Dies at 67". The New York Times. Retrieved July 23, 2016.
  20. Sessler, Mark (July 22, 2016). "Dennis Green, ex-Vikings, Cardinals coach, dies at 67". nfl.com. NFL. Retrieved July 23, 2016.
  21. Dennis Green Record, Statistics, and Category Ranks – Pro-Football-Reference.com
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