The Viking Age » steve spagnuolo

Raheem Morris Turned Down the Vikings’ Defensive Coordinator Job

Dan Zinski — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:58:41 +0000

Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE

The Vikings interviewed three former head coaches for their defensive coordinator position this month and whiffed on all three. Steve Spagnuolo was never a serious candidate in Minnesota and as far as we know was never offered a contract. Mel Tucker we know was offered a contract but elected to stay in Jacksonville under new head coach Mike Mularkey (Tucker finished out last season as Jaguars interim coach and therefore qualifies as a former head coach). Raheem Morris, former Tampa Bay head coach, was interviewed before either of those other guys and was momentarily thought of as a serious candidate for the Vikings job. So what happened with Morris? Turns out he was offered the job by the Vikings too…and turned them down to become defensive backs coach in Washington.

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Vikings May Have to Settle for Mike Singletary At Defensive Coordinator

Dan Zinski — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:48:02 +0000

If you believe the rumors, the Vikings are about to run out of defensive coordinator candidates. In the last couple days we’ve learned that Steve Spagnuolo is probably going to Philadelphia and that Mel Tucker is likely headed back to Jacksonville. It’s been confirmed that Raheem Morris will go to Washington to become their defensive backs coach. By my reckoning that leaves just one rumored defensive coordinator candidate standing. Mike Singletary, anyone?

Singletary has several things going for him, if indeed he is the man the Vikes are targeting to replace Fred Pagac (who, incidentally, still hasn’t officially been fired). One, he’s pals with Leslie Frazier. Two, he wears a big old cross. Three, he is a master of the fine art of motivating players via pant removal.

Now let’s list the stuff Singletary doesn’t have going for him: Proven play-calling acumen. A track-record of remaking poor defenses into solid ones. The respect of his former players.

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Eagles Will Hire Steve Spagnuolo

Dan Zinski — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 18:34:54 +0000

Let’s face facts: It was always a long-shot that the Vikings would actually hire Steve Spagnuolo as their defensive coordinator. Everyone suspected Spags was heading back to Philadelphia and it now appears that will come to pass. But give the Vikings credit for at least taking a look at the former Giants defensive coordinator and Rams head coach. They did their due diligence on this one. That would not be news by itself, except that the Vikings sometimes aren’t as thorough as they could be in looking into potential candidates for coaching and front office jobs. Brad Childress? Leslie Frazier? Rick Spielman? All hired/promoted before the team went through a full process, at least in some people’s eyes.

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