Former NFL coach Dennis Green dies

Former Arizona Cardinals head coach Dennis Green passed away Friday at the age of 67.

Green’s best seasons of coaching were with the Vikings as he led the team to eight appearances in the playoffs in 10 seasons. The Vikings came just short of the Super Bowl that season, losing to the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship game on a field goal in overtime.

In a statement, NFL executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent expressed his sympathy to Green’s family following his passing, while highlighting his key achievements.

“Coach Green will right be remembered as a true innovator, leader and pioneer among football coaches”. The Vikings had a 15-1 regular season record in 1998.

Quarterback Kurt Warner, who joined the Cardinals in 2005, tweeted his thoughts on Green’s death. His coaching career started in 1973 as an assistant at Dayton where he was able to earn US$6,000 annually. He was hired after two head coaching stints in college, first at Northwestern, and then Stanford.

Caption + In this December 28, 1992 photo, Minnesota Vikings coach reacts after being doused after a 27-7 win over the Green Bay Packers at the Metrodome in Minneapolis. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Green family”.

Green became head coach of the Vikings in an era when black head coaches were almost non-existent – he was only the third African-American head coach in the history of the league, and second since 1921.

Green coached in the National Football League for 13 seasons, compiling a 113-94 record. He was a special teams coordinator with the San Francisco 49ers for a season and later their wide receivers coach for three seasons in the 1980s.

Oakland Raiders coach Jack Del Rio said Green “created an outstanding environment for his players and I was privileged to spend four great years under his guidance in Minnesota”. The Vikings also advanced to the 2000 NFC championship game with Green at the helm but were defeated by the New York Giants.