Former Minnesota Vikings Coach Dennis Green Dies at age 67

Green coached the Vikings and Cardinals over 13 NFL seasons

ESPN and the NFL have reported that Dennis Green, who coached the Minnesota Vikings and Arizona Cardinals over 13 NFL seasons, died Thursday night at the age of 67.

He passed away early Friday morning after suffering from complications from a heart attack.

“We are incredibly saddened by the sudden passing of former Vikings Head Coach, Dennis Green,” the Minnesota Vikings said in a statement late Friday morning, “Denny made his mark in ways far beyond being an outstanding football coach. He mentored countless players and served as a father figure for the men he coached. Denny founded the Vikings Community Tuesday Program, a critical initiative that is now implemented across the entire NFL. He took great pride in helping assistant coaches advance their careers. His tenure as one of the first African American head coaches in both college and the NFL was also transformative. Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Green family.

The news of Green’s passing swept through the sports community. Former Vikings running back Robert Smith posted on Twitter: “Rest in peace Denny. I lost my mother in April, I feel like I just lost a father.”

Green’s legacy began when he was hired by the Vikings in 1992. He was just the second African American head coach in the modern NFL era. During his ten seasons with the Vikings, they made playoffs eight times, including two trips to the NFC Championship game.

The Arizona Cardinals’ president Michael Bidwell, also made a statement, Friday, “All of us at the Cardinals are incredibly saddened by the news of Dennis Green’s passing. Coach Green will rightly be remembered as a true innovator, leader and pioneer among football coaches. We express our deepest sympathy to his family and his many friends.”