Mike Tice will be center stage this week in Vikingland. Now assistant head coach for the Jaguars, Tice will coach against the Vikings in Jacksonville on Sunday for the first time since being dismissed here after the 2005 season.
The dozen or so players still with the Vikings who have Tice memories include center Matt Birk. Tice was Birk’s offensive line coach when he joined the Vikings as a sixth round draft choice from Harvard. “…I certainly owe him a lot personally for seeing something in me and not giving up on me, and helping me develop as a player,” Birk told Sports Headliners.
Birk, who six times has been a Pro Bowl center, remembers Tice both for his knowledge of the game and ability to motivate players. Tice was an NFL tight end, including three seasons with the Vikings in the 1990s, and then an assistant coach with the Purple before succeeding Denny Green for the final game in 2001 and then coaching four full seasons here.
Birk described Tice as a “great X’s and O’s coach,” then talked about him as a motivator. “He had a unique style of motivating,” Birk said. “He would challenge you. I think for the most part, he got the most out of his players.”
Birk made it clear the relationship with Tice and his players wasn’t always a love fest. “Tice, he’s one of those guys you could absolutely hate him one minute and then the next you’d love him. He’s one of those guys sometimes you got so angry at him (but) you still wanted to play hard and succeed for him.”
Dean Dalton worked for Tice as an assistant coach and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend his former boss to an NFL team looking for a head coach. Although Tice’s record was a so-so 33-34, Dalton told Sports Headliners that Tice worked under less than ideal conditions. A low player payroll, directed by budget conscious owner Red McCombs, restricted the talent pool. Tice also dealt with the emotionally devastating death of Viking lineman Korey Stringer who died during training camp in 2001, plus the infamous Love Boat scandal of 2005.