Mike Priefer

Last updated

Mike Priefer
Mike Priefer (2021).jpg
Mike Priefer (2021)
Personal information
Born: (1966-08-21) August 21, 1966 (age 57)
Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Career information
College: Navy
Career history
As a coach:

Mike Priefer (born August 21, 1966) [1] is an American football coach who was the special teams coordinator for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). [2] [3] He has almost two decades of pro coaching experience.

Contents

Priefer has held coaching positions for Navy, Youngstown State, Virginia Military Institute, and Northern Illinois at the college level. He has also been an assistant for the Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL and has held coaching positions for the Jacksonville Jaguars and the New York Giants. On January 10, 2021, Priefer served as the acting head coach of the Browns and led them to a 48–37 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC wild card game. He was fired by the Browns on February 21, 2023 following four years on the team’s staff.

Early years

Priefer is the son of Chuck Priefer, a retired NFL coach and special teams coordinator. [4] He attended the United States Naval Academy, and then served in the United States Navy, serving from 1991 to 1994. [5] He was stationed in the Persian Gulf as a helicopter pilot. [6] [7] He played quarterback and wide receiver at Navy. [8]

Coaching career

Early career

For the 2002 season, the Jacksonville Jaguars hired Priefer as a Special Teams Coordinator to replace Frank Gansz. [9] At the end of the season, Tom Coughlin, at the time the head coach of the Jaguars, was fired and replaced with Jack Del Rio while Priefer was replaced with Bill Bates.

Priefer moved to the NFC East New York Giants in 2003. He worked with head coach Jim Fassel during the 2003 season, and during the 2004 season with new head coach Coughlin.

From 2006 to 2008, Priefer coached for the Kansas City Chiefs. He then moved to the Denver Broncos in the AFC for the next two seasons.

Minnesota Vikings

In 2011, Priefer was hired as special teams coach for the Minnesota Vikings. [10]

In 2012, Priefer won the Special Teams Coach of the Year, as voted on by his NFL counterparts. It was due to the help of the Vikings Kicker Blair Walsh, who had a very productive 2012 rookie season.

In 2014, Priefer was suspended for three weeks after making a homophobic remark, saying something along the lines of "putting all the gays on an island and nuking it." [5] [11] Former punter Chris Kluwe threatened to sue the Vikings for alleged wrongful termination and religious discrimination by Priefer. [12] Priefer underwent sensitivity training before returning to work. [13]

In 2016, Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer had emergency eye surgery, and Priefer was named the head coach for the week 13 game against the Dallas Cowboys. The Vikings lost 17–15. [14]

Cleveland Browns

In January 2019, Priefer took a job as the next Special Teams Coordinator for his hometown Cleveland Browns.

On January 5, 2021, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski tested positive for COVID-19, and Priefer took over as acting head coach. [15] Because Stefanski could not coach the Browns' playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on January 10, 2021, Priefer served as the acting head coach for the game and led them to a 48–37 win. [16] Stefanski returned on January 14 before the Browns' next playoff game. [16] Priefer served as the acting as head coach for the Browns' 2021 week 15 game against the Las Vegas Raiders after Stefanski once again tested positive for COVID-19. [17] With over 20 players unable to play due to COVID-19, [18] Priefer was unable to win a second time as the acting head coach and the Browns fell on a last second field goal in a 14–16 loss. [19] He was fired by the Browns on February 21, 2023 following four years on the team’s staff.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keenan McCardell</span> American football player and coach (born 1970)

Keenan Wayne McCardell is an American football coach and former wide receiver who is the wide receivers coach for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the wide receivers coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars, University of Maryland, College Park and Washington Redskins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Kluwe</span> American football player and writer (born 1981)

Christopher James Kluwe is a former American football punter and writer. Kluwe played at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos, California, where he was a 1999 USA Today High School All-American, and then attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he played college football for the UCLA Bruins. He was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2005 and played professionally in the National Football League for the Seahawks, Minnesota Vikings, and Oakland Raiders.

William Scott Musgrave is an American football coach and former player who is the senior offensive assistant for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He is a former quarterback, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for multiple NFL teams. He played college football for the Oregon Ducks, earning all-conference honors in the Pac-10. He is also the uncle of Green Bay Packers tight end Luke Musgrave.

Rick Steven Dennison is an American football coach and former linebacker who is currently the senior offensive assistant for the New Orleans Saints. He was the offensive line coach and run game coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL) from 2019-2020. An assistant in the NFL since 1995, he served as offensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos, Houston Texans (2010–2013), and Buffalo Bills (2017), and served as quarterbacks coach for the Baltimore Ravens in 2014. He was the special teams coach for the Super Bowl Champion Broncos in 1997 and 1998. A linebacker who spent his entire NFL playing career in Denver from 1982 to 1990, he appeared in Super Bowls XXI, XXII, and XXIV.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kennedy Polamalu</span> American football player and coach (born 1963)

Kennedy Polamalu is an American football coach and former player who is the running backs coach for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). Formerly, he served as the running backs coach for the Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, Minnesota Vikings, and Las Vegas Raiders. He was the offensive coordinator for the UCLA Bruins. Prior to that he was the offensive coordinator for the USC Trojans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Zimmer</span> American football coach (born 1956)

Michael Zimmer is an American football coach who is the defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as head coach of the NFL's Minnesota Vikings from 2014 to 2021. Prior to that, Zimmer served as a defensive assistant for the Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons, and Cincinnati Bengals. He also won Super Bowl XXX with the Cowboys in 1996.

Isaiah "Mike" Caldwell, Jr. is an American football coach who is the linebackers coach & run game coordinator for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the defensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2022 to 2023. After the entire Jacksonville defensive staff was fired in early 2024, he joined the Las Vegas Raiders as their linebackers coach and run game coordinator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chad O'Shea</span> American football player and coach (born 1972)

Chad O'Shea is an American football coach and former player who is the wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He previously was an assistant coach for the Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Minnesota Vikings, and Kansas City Chiefs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John DeFilippo</span> American football player and coach (born 1978)

John Eugene DeFilippo is an American football coach for the Memphis Showboats of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football as a quarterback at James Madison University, and has served as offensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns, Minnesota Vikings, and Jacksonville Jaguars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blair Walsh</span> American football player (born 1990)

Blair Richard Walsh is an American former football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for six seasons, primarily with the Minnesota Vikings. Walsh played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs and was selected by the Vikings in the sixth round of the 2012 NFL draft.

Joe Marciano is an American football coach and former player. He was the special teams coordinator for the Detroit Lions from 2015 until his firing in the mid 2018 season.

Joe Woods is an American football coach who is the defensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). A coaching veteran of 26 years, Woods has previously served as an assistant coach for the San Francisco 49ers, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, Minnesota Vikings and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as well as defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Turner (American football)</span> American football coach (born 1982)

Scott Michael Turner is an American football coach who is the pass game coordinator for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He has also been an assistant coach for the Minnesota Vikings, Cleveland Browns, Carolina Panthers, as well as an offensive coordinator for the Washington Football Team / Commanders. He is the son of former NFL head coach Norv Turner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Stefanski</span> American football coach (born 1982)

Kevin Lawrence Stefanski is an American football coach who is the head coach for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He began his NFL career as an assistant coach for the Minnesota Vikings from 2006 to 2019 and was the offensive coordinator during his final two seasons. Stefanski left Minnesota to become the Browns' head coach in 2020, where he led the team to their first playoff appearance since 2002. He was named NFL Coach of the Year after the season, becoming the first Browns coach to receive the honor since 1976 and the first following the franchise's 1999 return as an expansion team. He led the Browns to a second playoff appearance in 2023 and won a second NFL Coach of the Year award for his work that season.

Brandon John Staley is an American football coach who is the assistant head coach for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers from 2021 to 2023, defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams in 2020, and also served as an assistant coach for the Denver Broncos and Chicago Bears.

Drew Petzing is an American football coach who is the offensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as an assistant coach for the Cleveland Browns and Minnesota Vikings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 Cleveland Browns season</span> 73rd season in franchise history

The 2021 season was the Cleveland Browns' 69th season as a member of the National Football League (NFL), their 73rd overall and their second under head coach Kevin Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry. The Browns finished 8–9, failing to improve upon their 11–5 record from 2020. Despite starting 3–1, they would go 5–8 in their last games, eliminating them from playoff contention in the process. For the 75th anniversary of the team's founding in 1946, the Browns introduced a commemorative logo in January to use for the season.

Philip Rauscher is an American football coach who is the offensive line coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as an assistant coach for the Minnesota Vikings, Washington Redskins and Denver Broncos.

References

  1. Sports Illustrated (July 1, 2006). NFL Record and Fact. Time Home Entertainment, Incorporated. ISBN   978-1-933405-32-2.
  2. "Mike Priefer keeps job with Vikings". ESPN, February 6, 2014 - Blair Walsh
  3. "Minnesota Vikings don't seem too concerned about the preseason struggles of Blair Walsh Eric Oslund". Scout, December 9, 2015
  4. "Priefer enjoys his week as second-best special teams coach in Mankato". Star Tribune
  5. 1 2 "Vikings' Priefer sees ordeal through". Star Tribune, Mark Craig December 6, 2014
  6. Todd Anton; Bill Nowlin (November 15, 2013). When Football Went to War. Triumph Books. pp. 258–. ISBN   978-1-62368-309-2.
  7. "Vikings assistant Mike Priefer, a former Navy helicopter pilot, took a special pride in Osama bin Laden mission" Pioneer Press.
  8. "Mike Priefer (photo and caption)". Chicago Tribune.
  9. "Ex-copter pilot lands with Jags". By Vito Stellino, Times-Union July 14, 2002
  10. "Vikings assistant Mike Priefer, a former Navy helicopter pilot, took a special pride in Osama bin Laden mission". March 5, 2011 Twin Cities, Pioneer Press, By Jeremy Fowler
  11. "Mike Priefer: Learned 'hard lesson'". ESPN, July 24, 2014 - Cullen Loeffler
  12. "Kluwe: Lawsuit vs. Vikings depends on Priefer investigation outcome". Fox Sports, Brian Hall.
  13. "Mike Priefer: I think I’m a better man after sensitivity training". NBC Sports.
  14. Goessling, B. (December 1, 2016). Mike Zimmer of Minnesota Vikings has emergency eye surgery, won't coach Dallas Cowboys game.
  15. "Kevin Stefanski tests positive for COVID-19; Mike Priefer to serve as acting Head Coach". ClevelandBrowns.com. January 5, 2021. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  16. 1 2 Withers, Tom (January 14, 2021). "Stefanski out of basement, back with Browns after COVID-19". APNews.com. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  17. Kevin Stefanski won't coach Browns vs. Raiders due to COVID-19 Akron Beacon Journal
  18. Amid COVID-19 outbreak, Browns vs. Raiders postponed until 5 p.m. Monday Akron Beacon Journal
  19. Carlson FG gives Raiders 16-14 win vs COVID-ravaged Browns CBS Sports