Minnesota Vikings Head Coach Mike Tice gives President Bush a football jersey in Minneapolis Saturday.
Mike Tice
Offensive Line, 5th year
In three seasons coaching the Vikings offensive line, Mike Tice has guided three players to seven Pro Bowl starts. In his four seasons coaching with the Vikings, the team has compiled a 43-21 (.672) record and has made the playoffs each season.
In 1999, the offensive line made room for Robert Smith to become the second running back in team history to have three consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons (the other was Chuck Foreman 1974-76). The Vikings rushed for 175 yards in their playoff win over Dallas (1/9) and helped Smith break a team mark for rushing yards (140) in a playoff game. Leroy Hoard led the club in rushing touchdowns with a career-high 10. With Hoard's 555 yards rushing it was the first time since 1991 the Vikings had two backs go over the 500-yard mark. The Vikings offense finished the 1999 campaign third in the NFL.
In '98, the offensive line paved the way for numerous Vikings records including points in a season (556), which also set a NFL record for touchdown passes (41), total yards (6,264) and fewest sacks allowed in a 16-game season (25). The offensive line cleared the way for Robert Smith to top the 1,000 yard mark for the second consecutive season with 1,187 yards on the ground. The Vikings rushed for over 100 yards in 13-of-the-18 games, including playoffs, and broke the 150-yard barrier in five contests. Three of the five starting offensive linemen (Todd Steussie, Jeff Christy and Randall McDaniel) in the 1999 Pro Bowl were Vikings. They became the first Vikings trio of offensive linemen ever selected to the Pro Bowl, let alone start.
In his first year coaching the offensive line in '97, Tice guided an offensive line that sent two starters to the '98 Pro Bowl, McDaniel and Steussie. The offensive line also enabled Smith to break the team record for rushing yards in a season with 1,266. The Vikings offensive line was a big factor in the squad gaining a first down on 18-of-19 carries on third or fourth down with less than three yards to go in '97. In 10-of-the-16 games, the team rushed for over 100 yards. Tice's offensive line also finished third in the NFC in sacks per pass play (17.4 attempts per sack). Tice helped coach the Vikings into the playoffs for the second straight season in '97 despite having to work with numerous line combinations due to injuries.
In '96, in addition to his duties as the Vikings tight ends coach, Tice conducted some drills with the offensive tackles during practices. Tice was instrumental in '96 in the development of rookie tight end Hunter Goodwin, who started the season's last six games when Minnesota went 4-2 to capture a playoff berth.
During his 14 seasons in the National Football League not only did Tice catch 107 passes for 894 yards and 11 touchdowns, but he helped block for backs that rushed for over 1,000 yards in a season five times, including '92, when Terry Allen set a then Vikings season record with 1,201 yards, and '83, when Seattle's Curt Warner led the AFC with 1,449 yards.
The 6-foot, 7-inch Tice joined Minnesota's coaching staff in '96 after playing three seasons with the Vikings (1992-93, 1995), 10 years with Seattle (1981-88, 1990-91) and a campaign (1989) with Washington. He started in 109-of-the-177 NFL games he played.
In '95 Tice re-signed with the Vikings on December 7 after injuries depleted the team's tight end corps. He played in the final three games, including a start in the regular-season finale at Cincinnati (12/24), where he caught three passes for 22 yards. Tice originally retired following the '93 season. Tice started 11 games in '93, when he caught six passes for 39 yards. In '92 Tice caught a career-long 34-yard touchdown pass in the final regular-season game against Green Bay (12/27).
With Seattle in '91, Tice caught a career-high four touchdown passes to become the first tight end in Seahawks history to lead the team in scoring receptions. In '90, Tice was released by Washington on the final cut of preseason then signed by Seattle on November 28. In '89, Tice signed with the Redskins as a Plan B free agent after catching 58 passes and starting 43-of-44 games for Seattle between '86 and '88. He posted a career-high 29 receptions for 244 yards in 16 starts in '88. In only eight starts in '84, Tice caught three touchdown passes to set a Seattle season record for scoring receptions by a tight end. In '83, Tice helped the Seahawks advance to the AFC Championship Game, their best finish ever. Originally signed as a free agent quarterback by Seattle in '81, Tice switched to tight end his rookie year.
As a two-year starter at quarterback at Maryland, Tice completed 71-of-140 passes for 928 yards with five touchdowns as a senior in '80. He threw for 896 yards and five touchdowns as a junior. When Tice was a senior, the backup quarterback was future NFL All-Pro Boomer Esiason.
Michael Peter Tice was born in Bayshore, N.Y. (2/2/59) and attended Central Islip High School in Long Island. He lettered in football, basketball and lacrosse. He was the recipient of the Byron "Whizzer" White Humanitarian Award in 1987. His brother, John, was a tight end at Maryland and played for the New Orleans Saints from 1983-92. John is currently the Vikings' tight end coach, making Mike and John the first brothers to ever coach with the Vikings. Mike and wife Diane have two children, Adrienne (8/4/87) and Nathan (7/28/89).
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Green Fired, Won't Coach Vikes' Finale
FROM: Newsday.com January 2002-
Green, whose run with the Vikings was tied with Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher for the NFL's longest-running tenure, will not coach the team's season finale Monday night in Baltimore against the Ravens. Offensive line coach Mike Tice, who starred at Central Islip High School and won the Hansen Award as Suffolk's top player in 1976, was appointed interim head coach
"I've been very blessed and very fortunate," Green told reporters Friday after informing the team of his departure. "The players have been absolutely fantastic."
Although McCombs admitted there were issues that would be addressed with Green after the season, he seemed surprised by the timing of the departure.
"If someone told me [Thursday] at 2 o'clock that we would be doing what we're doing, I would have thought they were smoking something," McCombs said. "Dennis had informed me several days ago that there were issues that concerned him. I thought we would be working on those issues next week, but it didn't happen that way."
McCombs' reaction has led to speculation that Green attempted to force the owner into making the decision now, rather than wait until after Monday's game. McCombs wanted to remove some of Green's personnel powers and have some assistant coaches fired.
Among the potential replacements for Green: Texas coach Mack Brown, Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Tony Dungy, if he is released after the playoffs, and Tice.
Many players were surprised and upset to find out that Green was leaving. "I don't know what to say, I'm as shocked as all of us," linebacker Jim Nelson said. "We have one game left, and this will be a distraction a little bit, but we still have to play."
Green's departure came as a surprise because McCombs had been so convincing in saying that Green would be back next season. On Dec. 11, when asked if Green would still be the coach in 2002, McCombs said: "Absolutely."
McCombs last year signed Green to a two-year contract extension with an option for a third that guaranteed him $5.4 million for the 2002 and 2003 seasons. Under terms of the agreement, Green will receive almost all of his salary.
Green has been one of the NFL's finest regular-season coaches in recent history. Since 1995, the Vikings are 97-62 and have reached two NFC Championship games. Last year, they lost, 41-0, to the Giants in the conference championship.
Green came under criticism this season for not reining in temperamental wide receiver Randy Moss, who admitted that he didn't always play hard in every game. Green was instrumental in convincing McCombs to sign Moss to a $75-million contract extension in the offseason.
Green generally was commended for his handling of offensive tackle Korey Stringer's death from heat stroke on Aug. 1. But the team never fully recovered from the tragedy, and in a sign of things to come, lost its season opener at home to underdog Carolina. It is the Panthers' only victory this season.
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BY MIKE WELLS Pioneer Press
Former Seattle Seahawks coach Chuck Knox had a feeling Mike Tice one day would be a candidate for an NFL head-coaching position.
As a tight end with the Seahawks from 1981-88, and again in 1990-91, Tice didn't have an official title as a position coach, but he acted like one on the field and in meetings, Knox said.
"Mike was an outstanding teacher-slash-player for us," he said. "As a player, he understood the blocking schemes and knew what everybody else was supposed to do."
Several Vikings sources said Tice is a serious candidate for the Vikings' head-coaching job that opened Friday when Dennis Green was forced out. Tice, who will coach the Vikings on Monday night in their season finale at Baltimore, is scheduled to meet with team owner Red McCombs on Tuesday.
Three others who have been mentioned as candidates are University of Texas coach Mack Brown, Tampa Bay coach Tony Dungy, if he's fired after the season, and former University of Florida coach Steve Spurrier, who resigned Friday to pursue an NFL job.
Brown might be close to signing a contract extension with the Longhorns, sources say.
Tice might be the easiest one to hire. He's already on board as assistant head coach, has been on Green's staff since 1996, and knows all the players and the team's strengths and weaknesses. It is believed that if Tice gets the job, it would be done swiftly -- possibly Tuesday or Wednesday.
"The best shot is that we play well," Tice said. "If we play well, Mr. McCombs will be aware that there's a reason that we played well. That will be a great thing."
Knox wasn't surprised when Tice was appointed interim head coach of the Vikings when Green departed after 10 seasons.
"Not at all," Knox said. "He's studied and played under some good coaches like (former Washington Redskins coach) Joe Gibbs. I would like to think that I had at least a small part in where he is now."
Depending on how the Vikings perform in Monday night's season finale at Baltimore, Tice might be able to remove the interim title from his name.
To say Tice isn't nervous about Monday's game would be a lie. He's taking a one-game test, coaching in front of a national television audience on "Monday Night Football" against the defending Super Bowl champions.
"Of course I'll be nervous," he said. "The thing is, preparation takes away a lot of that. I've always found as a player and even as a coach, I'm not nervous when I know I'm fully prepared. There's a lot more work for me to do."
Aside from having to deal with being nervous, Tice isn't changing his lifestyle much.
He still spends more time tossing and turning in bed than actually sleeping at night. He still cracks jokes with the players during practice. And he still has a family day with his wife and two kids.
"I don't want to act any different than I normally do," Tice said. "You can't change all of a sudden."
Tice, 42, has been preparing for this day since he played quarterback at Central Islip High School in Long Island, N.Y., and at the University of Maryland.
"I think he's made a good transition from player to coach," said John Tice, Mike's brother and the Vikings' tight end coach. "His background at quarterback has really helped him understand how to operate a team."
The Seahawks originally signed Tice as a free-agent quarterback in 1981 before switching him to tight end. In 14 seasons with three NFL teams, Tice caught 107 passes for 894 yards and 11 touchdowns.
"Mike just had a great relationship with his teammates and coaches," said Knox, who coached Tice for eight seasons. "There wasn't any doubt in my mind that he would make an excellent teacher."
After retiring from the Vikings as a player in 1995, Tice served as the team's tight ends coach in 1996. He took over as offensive line coach the following year and has had one of the NFL's top offensive lines each season. Five of his linemen selected for the Pro Bowl. His name has been mentioned in connection with several NFL and college head-coaching jobs in recent years.
Tice's ability to coach was severely tested this season.
He had to deal with the loss of his starting tackles, Todd Steussie to free agency in the offseason and Korey Stringer to a tragic death in training camp. Both had been voted to the Pro Bowl. Through it all, he managed to turn what has been at times a makeshift offensive line into a competitive one.
"With all the circumstances, I think he has done an outstanding job this year," Knox said. "He lost his best tackles, one through free agency and the other one died. Still, Mike has been able to put a competitive group out there every week."
Many players in the organization believe Tice is capable of being the team's next head coach.
"He understands the game very well. He understands the needs of the players. He understands what it's going to take to win ballgames," Vikings offensive lineman Corbin Lacina said. "He's going to tell you how it is. He's right up front with you. We want it for him."
But first things first. Tice has to prove to McCombs that he's ready to be the Vikings' seventh head coach.
"You really don't know if you're prepared until you're in the fire," Tice said. "You can say "I'm ready, I'm ready.' But I've always lived by, "You're ready for everything, but prepared for nothing.'
"I think because of the wonderful coaches that I've played under, and because of my experience with this organization and Denny, that I am prepared. It's something that I've had as a goal to do since I stepped in the coaching profession."
