Minnesota Vikings' Special Teams Coach A Certifiable Bad-Ass

by Christopher Gates on May 3, 2011 10:43 AM CDT in Minnesota Vikings

Mike Priefer is the new Minnesota Vikings' special teams coach, brought in by Leslier Frazier and the Vikings after Brian Murphy was relieved of his duties shortly after the 2010 season concluded. While I'm sure that being an NFL special teams coach is stressful, it's nowhere near the most stressful job that Mr. Priefer has ever had.

You see, according to Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Coach Priefer was a Navy helicopter pilot in the early 1990s. More specifically, he was a pilot for the Navy SEALs. You know, the same folks that recently busted the proverbial cap into the derriere of the world's most wanted terrorist.

About five miles off the coast of Mogadishu, Somalia, is where Priefer, a young and fearless pilot in the early 1990s, hovered gently about 40 feet over the ocean to drop off a dozen SEALs at a time.

His orders never changed: Return to the same spot in 48 hours to pick up the SEALs.

Now, in the article, Priefer himself says that he always flew to safe locations and not directly into dangerous cities. In any event, that's still pretty impressive.

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That's awesome

Frazier has assembled one hell of a staff.

"I am patient with stupidity but not with those who are proud of it."

by NMVike on May 3, 2011 10:54 AM CDT reply actions

+1 to that

by Cobra312004 on May 4, 2011 1:33 AM CDT up reply actions

Proud to be a fan of the Vikings.

By the way, y’all hear that Rex Ryan called Sal Alosi the “best strength coach in football” ?

by Arif Hasan on May 3, 2011 11:01 AM CDT reply actions

Maybe Sal is maybe he isn't.

One thing we do know is he’s a cheap shot artist and a punk.

by KC612 on May 3, 2011 11:26 AM CDT up reply actions

Can we just hire retired SEALs as position players?

You want motor and toughness…you have it.

by Jepp The Viking on May 3, 2011 11:35 AM CDT reply actions

Pave Low leads

Just sayin’…

"Lord I pray for the eyes of an eagle, the heart of a lion and the balls of a combat helicopter pilot."

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by Ted Glover on May 3, 2011 11:45 AM CDT reply actions

So perhaps you can answer this...

…but is ANY helicopter drop off location- particularly when your payload are SEALs- ever truly ‘safe’? Sounds like he’s one of ’em humble badasses.

Once upon a time, some guys from this group called "Navy SEAL Team Six" flew in on some helicopters into Pakistan. 40 minutes later... they flew out with the dead corpse of Osama bin Laden, with two bullet holes in his hea... wait, what? They also burned the mansion he was staying at to the ground?
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by KJSegall on May 3, 2011 12:12 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions

Depends on which way

the guns are pointed.

Perspective, Kyle, it’s all about perspective. :)

"Lord I pray for the eyes of an eagle, the heart of a lion and the balls of a combat helicopter pilot."

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by Ted Glover on May 3, 2011 8:43 PM CDT up reply actions

If Black Hawk Down taught me anything,

it’s that I don’t want to be anywhere near Mogadishu. At all.

"When I put on my uniform, I feel I am the proudest man on earth."
-Roberto

by blackjackfishtaco on May 3, 2011 11:46 AM CDT reply actions

Probably insertions before the main landing.

I was part of the beach landing that had reporters on the beach before we even got there. Of course if you are familiar with Black Hawk Down, things got a lot more complicated after we (Marines) left.

But yeah anytime you get on one of those metal deathtraps and hover over the ocean you have to wonder about your own sense of self preservation and your choice of careers.

by StuffIT on May 3, 2011 1:33 PM CDT reply actions

Ya think?

I don’t know. I think once they got solid intel, they rehearsed once or twice and went and did the hit. Just my educated guess, though.

"Lord I pray for the eyes of an eagle, the heart of a lion and the balls of a combat helicopter pilot."

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by Ted Glover on May 3, 2011 8:45 PM CDT up reply actions

Now if we can fire Musgrave

and get an OC that dosen’t run the WCO we’ll have the best staff in the leage

by FFXVIKE on May 3, 2011 1:52 PM CDT reply actions

That statement is so premature, it's absurd.

"I am patient with stupidity but not with those who are proud of it."

by NMVike on May 3, 2011 2:00 PM CDT up reply actions

The WCO won a superbowl this previous year. And

made it to The NFCCG. So yea that’s absurd.

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by UnBannedVikingholic on May 3, 2011 2:18 PM CDT up reply actions

WCO does not equal Brad Childress' offense necessarily

Lot’s of Super Bowl wins for WCO teams. Very good system with the right personnel and the right coach. We have both now.

Besides, how in the world can you justify firing a coach before he has even installed his offense much less called a single play?

by Cobra312004 on May 4, 2011 1:36 AM CDT up reply actions

Chris, you made a mis-statement.

The cap didn’t go into Osama’s derriere… into went into his eye. His EYE…. G-d that is freakin’ awesome.

(I know it was a turn of phrase, but I just personally love saying that Osama bin Laden was shot thru the skull… by being SHOT IN THE EYE.)

by KJSegall on May 3, 2011 3:36 PM CDT reply actions

Does anyone know

If Musgrave is bringing in a new O-line coach? This the area where we need a certified bad-ass.

by SouthernNorseman on May 3, 2011 3:38 PM CDT via mobile reply actions

We have a new offensive line coach

Jeff Davidson, who was the O-line coach for the Carolina Panthers the year that DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart went nuts.

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by Christopher Gates on May 3, 2011 3:45 PM CDT up reply actions

Thanks not sure how I missed that

Carolina had a good line until the injury bug bit them kind of like us. I think the talent is there just need good coaching and proper scheme.

by SouthernNorseman on May 3, 2011 3:52 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions

Not sure thats right Chris.

Davidson was the Patriots offensive line coach from 1998-2001.
He was the Browns Offensive line coach for the 2005 season.
He was the Browns offensive coordinator in 2006 and the Panthers offensive coordinator from 2007-2010.
Read Wiki here.

If anyone knows different please let us jnow.

Ponder has no idea how much pressure the fans will put on him. But he will succeed.

by lifelongvike on May 4, 2011 7:45 AM CDT up reply actions

Dear concerned reader,

Um… You’re right. He wasn’t the O-Line coach. But he was the offensive coordinator during that time. Personally, I take that as more of a positive than if he were just the line coach because it means he had an even larger role in Williams/Stewart’s dominance during that period.

He was the Browns offensive coordinator in 2006 and the Panthers offensive coordinator from 2007-2010.

Technically he was only the OC in Cleveland for 10 games after replacing the fired Maurice Carthon. He retained his line coaching duties during those 10 games as well.

In the 2008 season, Stewart and Williams combined for 2,351 yards rushing. In 2009 they combined for 2,250 yards on the ground. That’s the important part.

by Cobra312004 on May 4, 2011 3:09 PM CDT up reply actions