A players’ council that meets frequently with head coach Brad Childress has helped improve communications and morale, contributing to the team’s 5-0 start, according to offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie and kicker Ryan Longwell. Both are council members who spoke to Sports Headliners about the group that meets with Childress and then reports back to the team.
The council has more than a dozen members, has grown larger since last year and brings various discussion items to Childress including practice times. In an interview with McKinnie last week, he was initially asked if Childress’ 14-4 record in the last 18 regular season games was a vindication of the much criticized head coach who has been the Vikings’ boss since 2006.
“A combination of that and then everybody finally I think is on the same page, and is going in the right direction to win a lot of football games and try to get to the Super bowl,” McKinnie said.
Longwell answered the vindication question this way: “I think it is a little bit of a vindication of all of us. We’re all part of it. There was a lot that had to be done when coach Childress came in here beyond the X’s and O’s and the 53 guys on the field.”
Off the field player behavior problems somewhat characterized the Vikings when Childress arrived in 2006. Initially he didn’t have the council and Longwell was asked what the impact of it has been. “I think it’s been really good because when coach first came in here he kind of drew a hard line, which you have to do to change the culture and get it the direction that he wanted,” Longwell said.
McKinnie and Longwell were both with the Vikings in 2006. McKinnie is in his eighth NFL season, Longwell his 13th.
McKinnie said the players appreciate the communication opportunity provided by the council. Longwell said the “give and take” is good, acknowledging there are times Childress says “no” to suggestions.
Longwell also said this is the “best group we’ve had” while describing his teammates and the locker room atmosphere of the 2009 team. He said the players aren’t satisfied with just winning, they want to keep improving, and they’re also able to enjoy one another’s company.
Longwell said the attitude and relationship is what winners are about. “I think you can have the greatest scheme, you can have the best talented players, and you can have the greatest coaches, but if there is a disconnect in the locker room, you’re not going to win football games,” Longwell said. “So the locker room and everybody in the locker room being on the same page is vitally important.
“You can look at teams where roster against other rosters are not as talented, but their chemistry is better, and they win more football games because of it. And they win championships because of it. I think that’s what the players’ council has given coach (Childress); a direct pipeline to the heartbeat of the locker room and what guys are thinking, feeling, doing. Guys are a little bit more banged up than he thought, or fresher than he thought. It’s a direct pipeline for that and that’s a good situation to have.”