By Justin Worsley,
The Minnesota Vikings have fired head coach Brad Childress on Monday, a day after the Green Bay Packers routed them at home 31-3.
The Vikings were a game away from their first Super Bowl appearance since 1976 last season and were early favorites to play in the big game this year. Instead, Minnesota has started off 3-7 and are virtually out of the playoff hunt.
Vikings owner Zygi Wilf announced that defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier will serve as the interim head coach.
Childress is the second head coach fired this season. Earlier in the month, The Dallas Cowboys fired Wade Phillips after they started off 1-7. Since Jason Garrett took over as interim head coach, the Cowboys have won two straight games.
Frazier has announced the Brett Favre will remain the team;s starting quarterback.
Childress was not only losing on the football field, he was also losing in the locker room. Several reports came out of Vikings camp this season that many players in Minnesota disliked Childress, peaking when wide receiver Percy Harvin got into a verbal altercation with the coach last month over whether or not Harvin should have an MRI.
Childress also quarreled with Favre several times this season. Favre, who contemplated retirement this offseason, was visited by Childress along with several Vikings teammates to ask him to return for a 20th season. In several games this season, Favre has changed the plays called by Childress and instead, ran the offense himself, which Childress pointed out after a loss to the New York Jets.
Minnesota is currently winless on the road. Childress was 39-35 in three-plus season in Minnesota. Wilf gave Childress a four-year contract extension last season after the Vikings went 12-4. Late in last Sunday's loss to the Packers, many Vikings fans were chanting "Fire Childres."
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