Cynthia Whitty 
Dennis Green was one of the most successful and innovative coaches in NFL history. He is best remembered for his work as head coach of the Minnesota Vikings, where he led the team to eight divisional titles in 10 years. Green also had a significant impact on the game of football itself. He was one of the first coaches to embrace the importance of the passing game, and his teams were known for their explosive offenses. Green was also an excellent strategist, and he was never afraid to take risks.
Sadly, Green passed away in 2016 at the age of 67. But his legacy continues to live on through the coaches and players who were influenced by him. In this article, we’ll take a look back at Dennis Green’s life and career.
EARLY LIFE AND CAREER
Dennis Green was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in 1949. He was the youngest of three children. His father was a truck driver and his mother was a homemaker.
Green excelled in athletics from an early age. He was a star running back in high school, and he also played basketball and baseball. Green’s athletic ability helped him earn a football scholarship to the University of Iowa. Green played for the Hawkeyes from 1968 to 1970. He was a talented running back, but he was never able to crack the starting lineup. After graduating from Iowa, Green was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the 1971 NFL Draft.
However, Green was cut by the 49ers before the start of the season. He then spent a brief period of time with the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League. But once again, Green was cut and he returned to the United States. Green’s professional playing career was over, but he soon found a new calling in coaching. He began his coaching career as an assistant at the University of Dayton. He then had stops at Stanford, Iowa, and Arizona State before finally landing a job in the NFL.
GREEN BECOMES A HEAD COACH
In 1992, Green was hired as the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings. He inherited a team that had gone 3-13 the previous season. But under Green’s leadership, the Vikings quickly turned things around.
In his first season, Green led the Vikings to a 10-6 record and a playoff berth. The following year, the Vikings went 11-5 and won their first divisional title since 1987. Green was named the NFL Coach of the Year. The Vikings continued to find success under Green, winning at least 10 games in each of his 10 seasons as head coach. They made the playoffs eight times and reached the NFC Championship Game three times. In 1998, the Vikings even set an NFL record by going 15-1.
However, the Vikings were never able to win a Super Bowl under Green. They came close in 1998, but they were ultimately defeated by the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship Game. Despite this disappointment, there is no doubt that Dennis Green was one of the best coaches in NFL history. He compiled a regular season record of 113-94 and a playoff record of 10-8. He was inducted into the Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor in 2006.
LIFE AFTER FOOTBALL
After leaving the Vikings, Green had brief stints as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals and the Seattle Seahawks. But he was never able to find the same success that he had in Minnesota. Green retired from coaching in 2006. He then opened a real estate development company. Green also became involved in a number of charitable causes, including the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.
In 2016, Dennis Green suffered a heart attack and died at the age of 67. His death came as a shock to the NFL community. Green was widely respected by his peers, and he will be remembered as one of the best coaches in league history.
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Dennis Green was one of the most successful and innovative coaches in NFL history. He led the Minnesota Vikings to eight divisional titles and two NFC Championships in his ten seasons as head coach. His teams were known for their high-powered offenses and aggressive defenses. Green also coached the Arizona Cardinals for three seasons, compiling a record of 21-22. He passed away on July 21, 2016, at the age of 67.
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