Kevin O'Connell will become the Vikings' 10th head coach this week and will be the second youngest at 37 when he coaches his first game in September.
Every Vikings head coach ranked, 1 through 9, as the 10th man, Kevin O'Connell, arrives
The Vikings don't need Kevin O'Connell to be Bud Grant. But if their new guy reaches Dennis Green levels, they'll have a winner.
February 16, 2022 at 11:30AM
Norm Van Brocklin was 35 and fresh from being selected as the NFL's MVP with the 1960 championship Eagles when he coached the Vikings' first-ever game on Sept. 17, 1961 — a startling 37-13 upset over Chicago at Met Stadium.
Ten coaches entering season No. 62 is quite a display of Vikings' stability, particularly when you consider the Cleveland Browns have had 10 head coaches and two interims since re-entering the NFL as an expansion team in 1999.
The firing of Mike Zimmer on Jan. 10 led to a discussion on a Vikings-centric podcast as to how an old-timer — namely, me — would rate the nine head coaches employed to that point.
As a caveat, Bud Grant was considered only once and not separately for his 17 seasons that led to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and then for his one-year return that led to a neat long-term consulting deal (including an "office with a window") from team CE0 Mike Lynn.
There has been additional contemplation recently and this is now the official ranking — based not on wins and losses, but level of success compared to obstacles faced.
1. Bud Grant (1967-83, 1985). Playoffs: 10-12.
As Van Brocklin had done in the NFL, Grant went directly from being a standout player (receiver) with Winnipeg in the Canadian Football League to being the Blue Bombers coach in 1957. Bud was 30 when he coached his first game in August '57 and won four Grey Cups in 10 seasons.
Van Brocklin's resignation early in 1967 did not require much of a search for Jim Finks, the Vikings general manager. He had been a CFL rival to Bud's Blue Bombers and that, along with Grant's Minnesota connections with the Gophers and the Lakers, made him an easy choice.
Bud's arrival at the airport to finalize a deal with Finks was not publicized. The wonderful aside was Finks sending his P.R. director, Bill McGrane, to MSP to pick up Grant.
When McGrane asked, "How will I know Grant?,'' Finks answer was, "He'll be the guy that looks like the town marshal.''
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Bud's team lost to four excellent AFC/AFL teams in Super Bowls — Chiefs, Dolphins, Steelers, Raiders — and it has now been 45 years since those halcyon days, as Vikings fans wait for another coach to give their heroes a shot at one for the thumb.
2. Dennis Green (1992-2001). Playoffs: 4-8
Relations were not always smooth between Denny and a segment of the local media, but he took over the Vikings as they appeared to be in decline and had eight playoff teams in the next nine seasons.
The disasters for Green were the two NFC title games: the crushing overtime defeat for his 15-1 Vikings to Atlanta in January 1999, and then the 41-0 humiliation as small favorites against the New York Giants in January 2001.
The Vikings' no-show that day, including by his superstar Randy Moss, was the beginning of the end for Green.
3. Norm Van Brocklin (1961-66). Playoffs: None.
The Gophers were between their two Rose Bowls and kings of the local market when the Vikings started at Met Stadium in 1961. Hard-driving, hard-drinking, Van Brocklin took a combination of rookies and misfits and created an 8-5-1, tied-for-second in the NFL West team in 1964.
Instead of going upward, the Vikings went downward, and Van Brocklin's demons got the best of him … but the coach (and de facto GM) that created the fan base gets extra credit here.
4. Jerry Burns (1986-91). Playoffs: 3-3.
Lynn passed on Burns as Bud's replacement in 1984, but Jerry stuck around as an unimportant member of Les Steckel's staff, and got his shot as head coach in 1986 after Bud's second retirement.
Burns took three losses with strikebreakers in 1987, crawled into the playoffs at 8-7, and then led the Vikings on an incredible run — blowout wins at New Orleans and San Francisco, and a last-minute loss at Washington.
That postseason upset crusade alone puts Burnsie in the first division on this list.
5. Mike Zimmer (2014-2021). Playoffs: 2-3.
(tie) Brad Childress (2006-2010). Playoffs: 1-2.
Both of these veteran coaches entered rebuilding situations. Zimmer outlasted him substantially, but Childress gets points for the contrast in NFC title games. Chilly's team lost in overtime in the Superdome in a fantastic game; Zim's team was humiliated in Philly, as a Super Bowl in the new Minneapolis dome beckoned.
7. Mike Tice (2002-2005). Playoffs: 1-1.
Our man Ticey is getting the short end of the stick here, just as he did when owner Red McCombs stopped spending money and didn't allow him a real coaching staff at the end. The win over Brett Favre in Green Bay in the 2004 playoffs was a Vikings' all-timer.
8. Les Frazier (2010-2013). Playoffs: 0-1.
Took over with six games left in the chaotic 2010 season. Made the playoffs with Christian Ponder as the quarterback in 2012. Everything came unglued in 2013 (5-10-1). Somebody has to be eighth.
9. Les Steckel (1984). Playoffs: Not quite.
One season. Three wins, 13 losses. And with players bailing in the final month if they cut themselves shaving.
No matter what happens with Kevin O'Connell, he can be confident he'll be no lower than ninth on future rankings.
Mike Conley was in Minneapolis, where he sounded the Gjallarhorn at the Vikings game, on Sunday during the robbery.
