For a guy who has never won a single playoff game, Vikings coach Brad Childress should be pretty happy right now.
The team has announced that an agreement on a contract extension has been reached. John Clayton of ESPN reported earlier in the day that the new deal extends through 2013, at a salary $4 million to $5 million per year.
So if a guy who has never won a single playoff game is worth that much money, imagine what a coach with a Super Bowl ring or two might command.
“My family and I are very fortunate to be a part of the Minnesota Vikings organization,” Childress said in a team-issued release. “I value the opportunity to continue to lead this team over the next several years as we work toward our ultimate goal of winning a Super Bowl for our passionate fans everywhere.”
“Brad has done a tremendous job leading this football team and we value the positive environment he has created for the Minnesota Vikings on and off the field,” Vikings owner/chairman Zygi Wilf said. “He has continued to positively impact this team and create a strong foundation for future success.”
While we give Childress immense credit for realizing that Brett Favre could make a huge difference for a team that previously aimed to keep games close and hope for a late break (we call it “Chillyball”), we think it’s too early to reward him. Why not wait until he at least clinches a playoff berth? Or, you know, wins a playoff game?
Apparently, the Vikings feared that, if Childress leads the team to the Super Bowl this year, he might have been tempted to finish out his contract and hit the market as a free agent in 2011.
But unless Favre comes back in 2010, it will be Chillyball all over again next year. And Chillyball is a recipe for 8-8 football -- something that guys making far less than $4 million a year can consistently produce.