Did The Vikings Make A Mistake Firing Leslie Frazier?
By Adam Carlson
Dec 29, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier looks on during the first quarter against the Detroit Lions at Mall of America Field at H.H.H. Metrodome. The Vikings defeated the Lions 14-13. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
It’s “Black Monday” in the NFL. That’s means that the regular season has concluded. While some team are preparing to fight in the playoffs, others are trying to figure out what went wrong with their organizations. Sadly, that means that some people will lose their jobs.
Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier is one of the individuals who was terminated today. Many feel this move is justified or past due. However, Minnesota may have made a mistake in getting rid of coach Frazier.
Dec 29, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier reacts from the sidelines during the game with the Detroit Lions at Mall of America Field at H.H.H. Metrodome. The Vikings won 14-13. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
The team overachieved in 2012. They were a 10 win team that made the playoffs despite horrible inconsistency at the quarterback position. This put high expectations on a team that was said to be in rebuilding mode after a terrible 3 win season in 2011. Frazier’s success in 2012 put unrealistic expectations on a squad that lost key players on both sides of the ball (Harvin, Winfield).
Frazier also had to deal with incompetency from his offensive and defensive coordinators. Midway through the season, Frazier was taking over a lot of the defensive coaching duties because of how much Alan Williams was struggling. Strangely, both Bill Musgrave and Alan Williams are employed by the team.
When you add the fact that many key players were suffering from injuries and missed numerous games, it is surprising that the Vikings finished the season on a high note with wins over the Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles.
Dec 15, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier during the second quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at Mall of America Field at H.H.H. Metrodome. The Vikings defeated the Eagles 48-30. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
Lastly, Frazier has the support of the players. They didn’t give up on him, even when the team was mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. They continued to show support until the very end, and that included an endorsement from star running back Adrian Peterson.
It will be tough for the team to find another coach who can motivate players the way that Frazier did, but I wish them a lot of luck in their search.
I also wish Frazier the best of luck in his future endeavors and thank him for his time in Minnesota. His teams brought a lot of excitement and memorable moments to the franchise. I know I will miss him. Hopefully, the team will consider bringing him back as a defensive coordinator if the Vikings decide to terminate Alan Williams.