It’s official, Mike Tice won’t be fired for at least 3 months. From the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Kevin Seifert and Judd Zulgad.
Vikings owner Zygi Wilf (above) ruled out the possibility Tuesday that coach Mike Tice could be fired before the end of the season, regardless of the team’s performance.
“I’m backing our coach 100 percent,” Wilf said. “I’m going to do whatever is necessary to give him whatever help he needs to improve our team. I don’t know if he’s always gotten that. He’s our coach for this season, as we have said many times before. So that’s the situation, and my message is: ‘Let’s go try to win our division.’ ”
The Vikings are just a half-game out of the NFC North lead but have lost three of their first four games, prompting national speculation that Tice’s job could be in jeopardy. Tice’s contract, which is paying him $1 million this season, expires Jan. 31, but Wilf has said many times that he would not decide Tice’s future until after the season.
Wilf reiterated that sentiment Tuesday, and said much of an upcoming organizational retreat will focus on turning around the team’s fortunes immediately.