Vikings: Is this Tice's Final Four?
Mark Craig, Star Tribune
December 10, 2004 VIKE1210
A lot can happen over the final four games of the regular season that could affect the Vikings in several significant ways, but particularly the future of head coach Mike Tice, whose contract expires Jan. 31.
"I understand where I'm at," Tice said Thursday. "I'm not an idiot. I understand how I'm being evaluated, too. But I'm going to have fun with the next 24 days. I'll cherish this football team because it's my football team."
Vikings owner Red McCombs has a one-year, $1 million option on Tice's contract. Despite a report in Sports Illustrated last month that quoted McCombs as saying he will exercise the option regardless of the Vikings' final record, McCombs said Thursday he still has not made his decision.
Asked if he felt Tice will be coaching to save his career over the next four games, McCombs said, "Like all great coaches, Mike coaches for his career every game."
Mike TiceCarlos GonzalezStar TribuneMcCombs said he doesn't believe Tice lacks job security, or will be distracted during the stretch run.
"Like the rest of us, security is not in our contract, it's in our ability," McCombs said. "Mike has a lot of ability. Mike is a very good NFL coach, and will be an NFL coach for years to come.
"But right now, we have four games left. That's our big issue right now."
McCombs and Tice said they relish the opportunity to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2000, and don't fear the pressure that comes with avoiding a season-ending collapse similar to last year's.
In 2003, the Vikings finished 3-7 after a 6-0 start. They're 2-4 after a 5-1 start this season, although they are 2-1 in their past three games.
The Vikings still control their playoff possibilities. If they beat Seattle, Detroit on the road Dec. 19, Green Bay on Dec. 24 and Washington on the road Jan. 2, they will win the NFC North.
"I'm not going to let anything get me down over the next 24 days, not even if we lose to Seattle," Tice said. "We're going to keep working and have fun, and I'm going to have a blast. I'm going to do the best job that I can do with great energy for the team, great energy for the coaching staff.
"We're going to focus on that and do our jobs without being uptight. I'm not worrying about, 'Oh, my God, we got to win, I need to keep my job, I need a contract extension.' That's going to permeate to the team. It's going to permeate to the coaches and their families and the trainers. We don't need that."
Tice's job uncertainty has put him in an awkward position lately. He was asked by the Twin Cities media on Wednesday if he would take the Notre Dame job if it were offered.
"No," he said, "I like my job here."
With a league-low salary of $750,000 a year, Tice is one of the few NFL coaches who would get a raise by going to Notre Dame, which traditionally hasn't paid as well as other high-profile universities.
Questions about coaching vacancies continued Wednesday during Tice's conference call with members of the Seattle media. Because Tice played 10 of his 14 NFL seasons in Seattle and still has a home there, he was asked if the University of Washington head coaching vacancy would be among the openings that could lure him to the college ranks for the first time.
"Certainly, [Washington] would be one of those," Tice said. "I feel I gave you enough ammo right there to read between the lines, as they say. Who wouldn't want to come home?
"Wouldn't it be a lifelong dream to be able to work in the city where my two children were born? But I have a job here, and I'm under contract until Jan. 31, and I want to finish the job I started here."
Asked about his comments Thursday, Tice said: "I love this team, the fans and the organization. I have no plans to leave."
Tice's mood since last week's deflating 24-14 loss at Chicago has been over-the-top positive. Tice even poked fun at his contract situation.
"As long as we take care of what we need to take care of, we'll be OK," Tice said. "If we don't, then a whole lot of things will change. I'll be coaching special teams at Mississippi Community College."
McCombs laughed when he heard what Tice had said.
"I'm not going to discuss his contract," McCombs said. "But I don't think he's going to end up at Mississippi whatever."
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