Mike Priefer Will Stay On As Vikings Special Teams Coach

Jun 11, 2013; Eden Prairie, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings special teams coach Mike Priefer gets ready for the Minnesota Vikings Minicamp at Winter Park. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

Mike Zimmer apparently isn’t afraid of the controversy Mike Priefer might bring to his team. A report says Priefer, whose alleged homophobic remarks in the presence of former punter Chris Kluwe are currently being investigated by team-hired lawyers, will remain as Vikings special teams coach.

Priefer had been in limbo since Leslie Frazier’s firing, like the rest of Frazier’s assistants, but he was always considered a favorite to be retained in spite of the accusations against him.

Whatever you think of Priefer and his alleged actions toward Kluwe, he is a very good special teams coach. The Vikings punt and kick units have been for the most part solid under Priefer.

Of course talent always helps make a coach look good. In Minnesota, Priefer has had Percy Harvin and Cordarrelle Patterson as kick return specialists, a good punt returner in Marcus Sherels, and for the last two years a really good kicker in Blair Walsh.

The punter Rick Spielman selected to replace Kluwe, Jeff Locke, was spotty in his rookie season.

The source on the Priefer story, out-going defensive backs coach Joe Woods, also says he believes Jeff Davidson will be staying on as offensive line coach. He says Fred Pagac and Brendan Daly are getting interviews and may retain their positions as linebackers coach and defensive line coach respectively.

Priefer and Davidson I always thought would say, Daly I thought had a chance given his good reputation as a D-line coach. Pagac I always thought of as a Frazier guy who would be going but maybe Zimmer likes him.

The Vikings have already replaced Joe Woods with Jerry Gray. Mike Zimmer’s son Adam is set to take an undisclosed position on the staff

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