Ranking every Minnesota Vikings head coach since 2000
By Adam Patrick
2nd-best Vikings head coach since 2000:
Brad Childress (2006 - 2010)
- Record: 39-35
- Playoff Appearances: 2
- Playoff Record: 1-2
- Division Titles: 2
Brad Childress is one of two Vikings head coaches since the 2000 season to lead the franchise to multiple playoff appearances and multiple division titles during his tenure. So it only seems fitting that Childress is among the top two on this list.
Minnesota got off to a hot start in year one with Childress, as they won four of their first six games in 2006. However, the Vikings then wound up losing eight of the final 10 matchups on their schedule, and they finished with a disappointing 6-10 record.
Minnesota's second year with Childress as their head coach went a little better, as they ended the 2007 season with an 8-8 record. It wasn't until the 2008 campaign that the Vikings were able to truly experience a decent amount of success under Childress.
In 2008, the Vikings finished 10-6, qualified for the playoffs, and won their first division title since 2000. Minnesota immediately lost in the first round of the 2008 postseason, but they had a lot to be excited about for the future.
Things got even more exciting for the Vikings in 2009 when they were able to sign Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre. Led by Childress, Favre, stud running back Adrian Peterson, and a top-10 defense, Minnesota finished with a 12-4 record and made it all the way to the NFC Championship in 2009.
The Vikings were able to convince Favre to return for another season in 2010, but the team struggled to duplicate their success from the year before. The 2010 campaign wound up being such a disaster that Minnesota fired Childress with a whole six games left on their schedule.
Childress' tenure with the Vikings was certainly filled with some of the highest of highs in franchise history and, unfortunately, some of the lowest of lows as well.