Mike Priefer

[Simpson Get Lifted]

You mean a Cleveland team with one of the most exciting up & coming rosters with a QB who just set rookie records and is his hometown team?

You can do better than that....

Yeah, it's really exciting. Now then, the rest of the league?

Sorry, should have known a moron would take it literal.

Would it make you feel better if I changed it to "If Priefer was such a bad coach, how come he was coveted by every team with a STC opening?"

He was literally out of a job for 2.5 days before getting a job. I wonder why such a horribly bad coach would get hired that quick!

So he wasn't coveted by the rest of the league then? Why would a coach that's been with one team for many years, that has experience, get hired quickly? Well, certainly this league isn't known for recycling old retreads. So that can't be it. Hmmm. Ya got me. I'm stumped!

[cunningham]

Forget Priefer. Hasn’t done much in a while and kicking has been a problem for a few years now. Time for a change.

[DC4MVP]

Yeah, it's really exciting. Now then, the rest of the league?

Sorry, should have known a moron would take it literal.

Would it make you feel better if I changed it to "If Priefer was such a bad coach, how come he was coveted by every team with a STC opening?"

He was literally out of a job for 2.5 days before getting a job. I wonder why such a horribly bad coach would get hired that quick!

So he wasn't coveted by the rest of the league then? Why would a coach that's been with one team for many years, that has experience, get hired quickly? Well, certainly this league isn't known for recycling old retreads. So that can't be it. Hmmm. Ya got me. I'm stumped!

Bad or failed coaches rarely get the same job with another team right away.

Bad/failed head coaches? They usually get a coordinator job or lower. Bad coordinators? Either don't get a job or take position coach jobs or "assistant" jobs.

If Priefer was a bad coach, he wouldn't get a lateral job just 2 days after his contract expired. He wasn't even a "Well, we have no other options" hire. He was the first STC hire of the season and obviously high on the list of a few teams and it sounds like he had his pick of the jobs between at least 4 teams that we know wanted him.

Are you really this stupid or is this a bit?

Based on your history....I'm going with the first one....

[DC4MVP]

Forget Priefer. Hasn’t done much in a while and kicking has been a problem for a few years now. Time for a change.

I wonder if the new guy is going to want to bring in his preferred kickers & punters and how much stock will Spielman take into the new STC picking out his legs?

Wile was nothing special. Bailey seems like he's trending down.

Isn't Robbie Gould a free agent this season? He'd probably be a top of my want list as he was my preferred kicker before he signed with the Giants half way into 2017 and we got Kai after cutting Walsh.

He made 33 of 34 FGs and 27 of 29 XPs with 14 games being outdoors in 2017. His only miss was a 40-49 indoors in Arizona.

[DonaldDouchebag]

Piss on him.

[Simpson Get Lifted]

Sorry, should have known a moron would take it literal.

Would it make you feel better if I changed it to "If Priefer was such a bad coach, how come he was coveted by every team with a STC opening?"

He was literally out of a job for 2.5 days before getting a job. I wonder why such a horribly bad coach would get hired that quick!

So he wasn't coveted by the rest of the league then? Why would a coach that's been with one team for many years, that has experience, get hired quickly? Well, certainly this league isn't known for recycling old retreads. So that can't be it. Hmmm. Ya got me. I'm stumped!

Bad or failed coaches rarely get the same job with another team right away.

Bad/failed head coaches? They usually get a coordinator job or lower. Bad coordinators? Either don't get a job or take position coach jobs or "assistant" jobs.

If Priefer was a bad coach, he wouldn't get a lateral job just 2 days after his contract expired. He wasn't even a "Well, we have no other options" hire. He was the first STC hire of the season and obviously high on the list of a few teams and it sounds like he had his pick of the jobs between at least 4 teams that we know wanted him.

Are you really this stupid or is this a bit?

Based on your history....I'm going with the first one....

Yeah, I think you're overvaluing the esteem that Special Teams Coordinator holds around the league, if it's your contention that they'd be lucky to make a lateral move, or start from square one.

I think you'd be more likely to see an upward move, considering there was no termination, a lot of experience, and he's been "so good". But, he moved laterally to take the same position with a lesser franchise. I think you're also overvaluing his good fortune in this case.

[DC4MVP]

So he wasn't coveted by the rest of the league then? Why would a coach that's been with one team for many years, that has experience, get hired quickly? Well, certainly this league isn't known for recycling old retreads. So that can't be it. Hmmm. Ya got me. I'm stumped!

Bad or failed coaches rarely get the same job with another team right away.

Bad/failed head coaches? They usually get a coordinator job or lower. Bad coordinators? Either don't get a job or take position coach jobs or "assistant" jobs.

If Priefer was a bad coach, he wouldn't get a lateral job just 2 days after his contract expired. He wasn't even a "Well, we have no other options" hire. He was the first STC hire of the season and obviously high on the list of a few teams and it sounds like he had his pick of the jobs between at least 4 teams that we know wanted him.

Are you really this stupid or is this a bit?

Based on your history....I'm going with the first one....

Yeah, I think you're overvaluing the esteem that Special Teams Coordinator holds around the league, if it's your contention that they'd be lucky to make a lateral move, or start from square one.

I think you'd be more likely to see an upward move, considering there was no termination, a lot of experience, and he's been "so good". But, he moved laterally to take the same position with a lesser franchise. I think you're also overvaluing his good fortune in this case.

I agree with you that if he was "truly special" (nor do I think he's special) he'd get a HC look but how many STC's become head coaches? How many STC's become O or D coordinators? Maybe I'm wrong but I don't think very many....do you know any STC's that moved to a D or O cord or head coach?

I don't know why you think having your pick of jobs is a knock against him or a bad thing? Zimmer said he wanted him to stay. He interviewed for 2 other teams (DET and ATL) and it sounds like a couple more would have interviewed him if still available. He went for his childhood home team.

If he were a truly bad STC like you think, I don't think he'd get hired 2 days after his contract expired but would rather be a desperation hire if everyone else was gone.

Bottom line, I don't care that he's gone. We obviously needed a change regardless if Zimmer thought the same.

[DC4MVP]

Forget Priefer. Hasn’t done much in a while and kicking has been a problem for a few years now. Time for a change.

I wonder if the new guy is going to want to bring in his preferred kickers & punters and how much stock will Spielman take into the new STC picking out his legs?

Wile was nothing special. Bailey seems like he's trending down.

Isn't Robbie Gould a free agent this season? He'd probably be a top of my want list as he was my preferred kicker before he signed with the Giants half way into 2017 and we got Kai after cutting Walsh.

He made 33 of 34 FGs and 27 of 29 XPs with 14 games being outdoors in 2017. His only miss was a 40-49 indoors in Arizona.

He is indeed a free agent now that I had time to look.

Other kickers I'd be interested in:

Gould
Lambo
Lutz (RFA)
Gostkowski
Myers

[PurpleFloyd]

If Priefer was such a bad coach, how come he was this coveted by the rest of the league?

Well, he was hired by the Browns. I may not have 5 decades of NFL history in me but that doesn't appear to be an upwardly mobile move.

[DC4MVP]

If Priefer was such a bad coach, how come he was this coveted by the rest of the league?

Well, he was hired by the Browns. I may not have 5 decades of NFL history in me but that doesn't appear to be an upwardly mobile move.

He chose to go there rather than stay here or go to DET and ATL.

Not only is it his hometown, maybe he thinks he has better job security with a new head coach rather than a hot seat Zimmer/Spielman?

He survived one coaching change over, very rarely does a coach/OC survive two full regime changes...Kitchens does have 4+ years, after-all...

[DonaldDouchebag]

Forget Priefer. Hasn’t done much in a while and kicking has been a problem for a few years now. Time for a change.

I wonder if the new guy is going to want to bring in his preferred kickers & punters and how much stock will Spielman take into the new STC picking out his legs?

Wile was nothing special. Bailey seems like he's trending down.

Isn't Robbie Gould a free agent this season? He'd probably be a top of my want list as he was my preferred kicker before he signed with the Giants half way into 2017 and we got Kai after cutting Walsh.

He made 33 of 34 FGs and 27 of 29 XPs with 14 games being outdoors in 2017. His only miss was a 40-49 indoors in Arizona.

He is indeed a free agent now that I had time to look.

Other kickers I'd be interested in:

Gould
Lambo
Lutz (RFA)
Gostkowski
Myers

I feel like I’d need to rethink my life if I found I could name five NFL kickers.

[-Jaymo-]

I feel like I’d need to rethink my life if I found I could name five NFL kickers.

It would be a shame if you let the fact that you can’t name five kickers stop you.

[RubeTube]

If Priefer was such a bad coach, how come he was this coveted by the rest of the league?

Well, he was hired by the Browns. I may not have 5 decades of NFL history in me but that doesn't appear to be an upwardly mobile move.

He chose to go there rather than stay here or go to DET and ATL.

Not only is it his hometown, maybe he thinks he has better job security with a new head coach rather than a hot seat Zimmer/Spielman?

He survived one coaching change over, very rarely does a coach/OC survive two full regime changes...Kitchens does have 4+ years, after-all...

I think he will be the next Browns HC.

[Ash Ketchum]

The fact that Preifer landed the same job somewhere else almost immediately means that he’s a highly respected and coveted STC.

To argue that just because it was a lateral move and not a HC position means that he isn’t a good STC is bizarre and confusing.

Priefer is one of the better STC in the league, and that’s coming from former players like Greenway.

Coverage and return units have been generally solid under him. The only issue is the field goals, and that’s not on him.

All that being said, Priefer is replaceable. Special teams are important but minor compared to the other two phases. He was and is a good, top-tier STC in the league, but losing him won’t move the needle a lot provided they find a good replacement.

From my POV he seems like your typical hard nosed, old-school football coach, and perhaps it’s just time for a change. Sometimes coaches’ voices begin to fall on deaf ears and a new perspective is needed. I’m not in the locker room so I don’t know, but it’s possible a new voice is needed.

But I don’t think that means he can’t and won’t succeed in Cleveland, and I certainly don’t think he’s the reason for all the missed FGs.

[RubeTube]

The fact that Preifer landed the same job somewhere else almost immediately means that he’s a highly respected and coveted STC.

To argue that just because it was a lateral move and not a HC position means that he isn’t a good STC is bizarre and confusing.

Priefer is one of the better STC in the league, and that’s coming from former players like Greenway.

Coverage and return units have been generally solid under him. The only issue is the field goals, and that’s not on him.

All that being said, Priefer is replaceable. Special teams are important but minor compared to the other two phases. He was and is a good, top-tier STC in the league, but losing him won’t move the needle a lot provided they find a good replacement.

From my POV he seems like your typical hard nosed, old-school football coach, and perhaps it’s just time for a change. Sometimes coaches’ voices begin to fall on deaf ears and a new perspective is needed. I’m not in the locker room so I don’t know, but it’s possible a new voice is needed.

But I don’t think that means he can’t and won’t succeed in Cleveland, and I certainly don’t think he’s the reason for all the missed FGs.

Priefs one of the best in the biz. Peopke here act like he's kicking the FGs

[Simpson Get Lifted]

The fact that Preifer landed the same job somewhere else almost immediately means that he’s a highly respected and coveted STC.

To argue that just because it was a lateral move and not a HC position means that he isn’t a good STC is bizarre and confusing.

Priefer is one of the better STC in the league, and that’s coming from former players like Greenway.

Coverage and return units have been generally solid under him. The only issue is the field goals, and that’s not on him.

All that being said, Priefer is replaceable. Special teams are important but minor compared to the other two phases. He was and is a good, top-tier STC in the league, but losing him won’t move the needle a lot provided they find a good replacement.

From my POV he seems like your typical hard nosed, old-school football coach, and perhaps it’s just time for a change. Sometimes coaches’ voices begin to fall on deaf ears and a new perspective is needed. I’m not in the locker room so I don’t know, but it’s possible a new voice is needed.

But I don’t think that means he can’t and won’t succeed in Cleveland, and I certainly don’t think he’s the reason for all the missed FGs.

Sure Ash, this is a wonderful promotion for the former QB/WR and life long STC. I mean, there's really only 2 possibilities for him in terms of career moves, it's either STC or HC, and taking the same position with the Browns is quite impressive. Can't make it up.

[hategreenticemase]

I feel like I’d need to rethink my life if I found I could name five NFL kickers.

It would be a shame if you let the fact that you can’t name five kickers stop you.

[hategreenticemase]

The debate on this moron is comical. Let me help some of you dummies. First, a coach can be good at some things and suck at others and overall need to go. Witness another season like this one and our boy Zim will qualify - great defensive coach, good at several things, too many flaws to meet or exceed potential of the teams overall talent. Jerry Burns - one of the 100 best offensive minds in the history of the game, too many flaws as a HC.

We have usually been good in coverage units. Sometimes real good. Same with return units. Punters have been a very mixed bag, overall I'd say not great. We have had well thought of young Kickers who we had to end up running out of here who then had success elsewhere. Had decent K last year who inexplicably couldn't make EP. When K goes elsewhere and the problems are mitigated - see, that's what we call a "red flag".

Worse than that is an absurd, hard to believe attitude - "if he needs a mental coach, needs to look elsewhere". If you ranked every collegiate and professional coaching jobs I can't think of 5 jobs where managing an ego/psyche would be less important than a God damn Special Teams Coach. Of course it's an expectation, of course it's critical. And what all you dummies should maybe slowly starting to figure out is - hmm, just maybe it's why a young K can suddenly and unexpectedly go to shit and then later with another team get back to functional.

He had a long tenure and did some things well. He was poor at some of the most critical things, period. What's worse is, he is almost proud of the reasons why he sucks at those things. Convenient, built in excuse - "I can't help it if some wuss ass needs his hand held and doesn't just do what I tell him. It's on him". No, dumbass, it's on the coach to reach his player. This ain't rocket science.

Bottom line - he should have been fired. It's the latest embarrassing sequence for a franchise who thrives on embarrassing itself.

[Ash Ketchum]

The fact that Preifer landed the same job somewhere else almost immediately means that he’s a highly respected and coveted STC.

To argue that just because it was a lateral move and not a HC position means that he isn’t a good STC is bizarre and confusing.

Priefer is one of the better STC in the league, and that’s coming from former players like Greenway.

Coverage and return units have been generally solid under him. The only issue is the field goals, and that’s not on him.

All that being said, Priefer is replaceable. Special teams are important but minor compared to the other two phases. He was and is a good, top-tier STC in the league, but losing him won’t move the needle a lot provided they find a good replacement.

From my POV he seems like your typical hard nosed, old-school football coach, and perhaps it’s just time for a change. Sometimes coaches’ voices begin to fall on deaf ears and a new perspective is needed. I’m not in the locker room so I don’t know, but it’s possible a new voice is needed.

But I don’t think that means he can’t and won’t succeed in Cleveland, and I certainly don’t think he’s the reason for all the missed FGs.

Sure Ash, this is a wonderful promotion for the former QB/WR and life long STC. I mean, there's really only 2 possibilities for him in terms of career moves, it's either STC or HC, and taking the same position with the Browns is quite impressive. Can't make it up.

The other career move is that he could be unemployed for a season or two or that he would have to settle for a lesser position for a season or two like the majority of coaches when they are fired.

The list of HCs who are fired and then have to take a coordinator position for a few seasons before they are given a another chance is long. Same with OCs who are fired and have to take a QB coach position.

Preifer has been employed without hiatus as either an assistant STC (2002-2005) or the full-time STC (2006-present) since 2002. Once he reached STC status in 2006, he’s held that job non-stop since then with now 4 different teams without a season off or a demotion.

NFL coordinator jobs have a HIGH rate of turnover. Hell, even head coaching jobs are short-lived. Less than a dozen HCs in the NFL have held the job for at least 5 seasons.

When you have a guy like Preifer who is able to keep the same job for almost twenty years, you can assume that dude is pretty respected and trusted throughout the NFL landspace.

It’s fine that you are arguing otherwise, but could you even name a concrete, specific reason why you think he’s not one of the better STC’s in the league?

I’m not saying Preifer is God or even that it wasn’t time for a change, but in this debate whether or not he is or isn’t considered one of the better STC’s has way more evidence (from the fans’ POV without being in the building to judge closely) in his favor than not.

[Ash Ketchum]

The debate on this moron is comical. Let me help some of you dummies. First, a coach can be good at some things and suck at others and overall need to go. Witness another season like this one and our boy Zim will qualify - great defensive coach, good at several things, too many flaws to meet or exceed potential of the teams overall talent. Jerry Burns - one of the 100 best offensive minds in the history of the game, too many flaws as a HC.

We have usually been good in coverage units. Sometimes real good. Same with return units. Punters have been a very mixed bag, overall I'd say not great. We have had well thought of young Kickers who we had to end up running out of here who then had success elsewhere. Had decent K last year who inexplicably couldn't make EP. When K goes elsewhere and the problems are mitigated - see, that's what we call a "red flag".

Worse than that is an absurd, hard to believe attitude - "if he needs a mental coach, needs to look elsewhere". If you ranked every collegiate and professional coaching jobs I can't think of 5 jobs where managing an ego/psyche would be less important than a God damn Special Teams Coach. Of course it's an expectation, of course it's critical. And what all you dummies should maybe slowly starting to figure out is - hmm, just maybe it's why a young K can suddenly and unexpectedly go to shit and then later with another team get back to functional.

He had a long tenure and did some things well. He was poor at some of the most critical things, period. What's worse is, he is almost proud of the reasons why he sucks at those things. Convenient, built in excuse - "I can't help it if some wuss ass needs his hand held and doesn't just do what I tell him. It's on him". No, dumbass, it's on the coach to reach his player. This ain't rocket science.

Bottom line - he should have been fired. It's the latest embarrassing sequence for a franchise who thrives on embarrassing itself.

Blaming Preifer for the missed FGs, is like blaming the OC when the QB sails a pass over an open WRs head.

Literally only Daniel Carlson has left the Vikings and gone on to be a better kicker than he was before, and Carlson is a rookie who just needed a change of scenery.

Walsh was equally if not more terrible in Seattle.

Forbath wasn’t bad here and didn’t land a full time gig elsewhere.

[Simpson Get Lifted]

The fact that Preifer landed the same job somewhere else almost immediately means that he’s a highly respected and coveted STC.

To argue that just because it was a lateral move and not a HC position means that he isn’t a good STC is bizarre and confusing.

Priefer is one of the better STC in the league, and that’s coming from former players like Greenway.

Coverage and return units have been generally solid under him. The only issue is the field goals, and that’s not on him.

All that being said, Priefer is replaceable. Special teams are important but minor compared to the other two phases. He was and is a good, top-tier STC in the league, but losing him won’t move the needle a lot provided they find a good replacement.

From my POV he seems like your typical hard nosed, old-school football coach, and perhaps it’s just time for a change. Sometimes coaches’ voices begin to fall on deaf ears and a new perspective is needed. I’m not in the locker room so I don’t know, but it’s possible a new voice is needed.

But I don’t think that means he can’t and won’t succeed in Cleveland, and I certainly don’t think he’s the reason for all the missed FGs.

Sure Ash, this is a wonderful promotion for the former QB/WR and life long STC. I mean, there's really only 2 possibilities for him in terms of career moves, it's either STC or HC, and taking the same position with the Browns is quite impressive. Can't make it up.

The other career move is that he could be unemployed for a season or two or that he would have to settle for a lesser position for a season or two like the majority of coaches when they are fired.

The list of HCs who are fired and then have to take a coordinator position for a few seasons before they are given a another chance is long. Same with OCs who are fired and have to take a QB coach position.

Preifer has been employed without hiatus as either an assistant STC (2002-2005) or the full-time STC (2006-present) since 2002. Once he reached STC status in 2006, he’s held that job non-stop since then with now 4 different teams without a season off or a demotion.

NFL coordinator jobs have a HIGH rate of turnover. Hell, even head coaching jobs are short-lived. Less than a dozen HCs in the NFL have held the job for at least 5 seasons.

When you have a guy like Preifer who is able to keep the same job for almost twenty years, you can assume that dude is pretty respected and trusted throughout the NFL landspace.

It’s fine that you are arguing otherwise, but could you even name a concrete, specific reason why you think he’s not one of the better STC’s in the league?

I’m not saying Preifer is God or even that it wasn’t time for a change, but in this debate whether or not he is or isn’t considered one of the better STC’s has way more evidence (from the fans’ POV without being in the building to judge closely) in his favor than not.

Your examples include HC and OC, where there actually is some downward mobility to be done after being fired. And some licking of wounds, starting over, building up. Preifer is a STC that wasn't fired. What are you suggesting is the lower tier position traditionally taken in this case?

As for his role in our kicking issues, with the lowest coinversion rate in the NFL, I know your fall back is to say coaches have zero effect on athletes, but let's take it from Priefer's own mouth:

https://zonecoverage.com/2018/vikings/m ... air-walsh/

In a job where he must massage kickers’ sometimes-fragile psyches and resist the urge to over-instruct, eighth-year special teams coordinator Mike Priefer has been through the ringer.

“I’m not a mental coach,” he said Thursday. “I mean, if a guy needs a mental coach he needs to go elsewhere. In fact, I’d be the last guy, you can ask my kids that. I’d be the last guy to be a mental coach expert. I’m a little emotional and get a little fired up, but at the end of the day, if that’s what a young man needs he got to find that outside of the building. I’m here to coach football.”

He answers the question himself in terms of culpability. No one said it's all his fault, but you and DC are saying it's none of his fault. I tend to believe exactly what came out of his mouth. He's done nothing, and has the ability to do nothing with what is essentially a mental game.

[Simpson Get Lifted]

The debate on this moron is comical. Let me help some of you dummies. First, a coach can be good at some things and suck at others and overall need to go. Witness another season like this one and our boy Zim will qualify - great defensive coach, good at several things, too many flaws to meet or exceed potential of the teams overall talent. Jerry Burns - one of the 100 best offensive minds in the history of the game, too many flaws as a HC.

We have usually been good in coverage units. Sometimes real good. Same with return units. Punters have been a very mixed bag, overall I'd say not great. We have had well thought of young Kickers who we had to end up running out of here who then had success elsewhere. Had decent K last year who inexplicably couldn't make EP. When K goes elsewhere and the problems are mitigated - see, that's what we call a "red flag".

Worse than that is an absurd, hard to believe attitude - "if he needs a mental coach, needs to look elsewhere". If you ranked every collegiate and professional coaching jobs I can't think of 5 jobs where managing an ego/psyche would be less important than a God damn Special Teams Coach. Of course it's an expectation, of course it's critical. And what all you dummies should maybe slowly starting to figure out is - hmm, just maybe it's why a young K can suddenly and unexpectedly go to shit and then later with another team get back to functional.

He had a long tenure and did some things well. He was poor at some of the most critical things, period. What's worse is, he is almost proud of the reasons why he sucks at those things. Convenient, built in excuse - "I can't help it if some wuss ass needs his hand held and doesn't just do what I tell him. It's on him". No, dumbass, it's on the coach to reach his player. This ain't rocket science.

Bottom line - he should have been fired. It's the latest embarrassing sequence for a franchise who thrives on embarrassing itself.

This. I'll add that, as another concrete issue, even if you believe that there is no issue here, he's great, and coaches have zero effect on athletes, he's also been a very terrible evaluator of talent.

If you don't expect someone to have any affect, or to be involved with kickers on any level as a STC, as Ash does, and as Priefer himself does, then you damn well better pick the right kickers.

Because you have no ability or desire to coach them after the fact, and why would you? So, that'd be on Priefer and Spielman.

[Simpson Get Lifted]

The debate on this moron is comical. Let me help some of you dummies. First, a coach can be good at some things and suck at others and overall need to go. Witness another season like this one and our boy Zim will qualify - great defensive coach, good at several things, too many flaws to meet or exceed potential of the teams overall talent. Jerry Burns - one of the 100 best offensive minds in the history of the game, too many flaws as a HC.

We have usually been good in coverage units. Sometimes real good. Same with return units. Punters have been a very mixed bag, overall I'd say not great. We have had well thought of young Kickers who we had to end up running out of here who then had success elsewhere. Had decent K last year who inexplicably couldn't make EP. When K goes elsewhere and the problems are mitigated - see, that's what we call a "red flag".

Worse than that is an absurd, hard to believe attitude - "if he needs a mental coach, needs to look elsewhere". If you ranked every collegiate and professional coaching jobs I can't think of 5 jobs where managing an ego/psyche would be less important than a God damn Special Teams Coach. Of course it's an expectation, of course it's critical. And what all you dummies should maybe slowly starting to figure out is - hmm, just maybe it's why a young K can suddenly and unexpectedly go to shit and then later with another team get back to functional.

He had a long tenure and did some things well. He was poor at some of the most critical things, period. What's worse is, he is almost proud of the reasons why he sucks at those things. Convenient, built in excuse - "I can't help it if some wuss ass needs his hand held and doesn't just do what I tell him. It's on him". No, dumbass, it's on the coach to reach his player. This ain't rocket science.

Bottom line - he should have been fired. It's the latest embarrassing sequence for a franchise who thrives on embarrassing itself.

Blaming Preifer for the missed FGs, is like blaming the OC when the QB sails a pass over an open WRs head.

Literally only Daniel Carlson has left the Vikings and gone on to be a better kicker than he was before, and Carlson is a rookie who just needed a change of scenery.

Walsh was equally if not more terrible in Seattle.

Forbath wasn’t bad here and didn’t land a full time gig elsewhere.

You can blame the OC if those passes consistently sail over a WR's head, and they consistently happen from QB to QB to QB. Because then you would look at the talent you're bringing in, and that you've been part of scouting.

Or, you would look at why this is a pattern. It has nothing to do with how many were good after leaving the Vikings, although that would be a problem if that number were high.

But that's exactly the point. They've either been all around bad with the Vikings, or completely fell apart while with the Vikings.

And, as Hate said, when you have fragile young kickers falling apart, the last thing you need is some hard ass old school guy who doesn't care to work with that.

[PurpleFloyd]

The fact that Preifer landed the same job somewhere else almost immediately means that he’s a highly respected and coveted STC.

To argue that just because it was a lateral move and not a HC position means that he isn’t a good STC is bizarre and confusing.

Priefer is one of the better STC in the league, and that’s coming from former players like Greenway.

Coverage and return units have been generally solid under him. The only issue is the field goals, and that’s not on him.

All that being said, Priefer is replaceable. Special teams are important but minor compared to the other two phases. He was and is a good, top-tier STC in the league, but losing him won’t move the needle a lot provided they find a good replacement.

From my POV he seems like your typical hard nosed, old-school football coach, and perhaps it’s just time for a change. Sometimes coaches’ voices begin to fall on deaf ears and a new perspective is needed. I’m not in the locker room so I don’t know, but it’s possible a new voice is needed.

But I don’t think that means he can’t and won’t succeed in Cleveland, and I certainly don’t think he’s the reason for all the missed FGs.

Sure Ash, this is a wonderful promotion for the former QB/WR and life long STC. I mean, there's really only 2 possibilities for him in terms of career moves, it's either STC or HC, and taking the same position with the Browns is quite impressive. Can't make it up.

The other career move is that he could be unemployed for a season or two or that he would have to settle for a lesser position for a season or two like the majority of coaches when they are fired.

The list of HCs who are fired and then have to take a coordinator position for a few seasons before they are given a another chance is long. Same with OCs who are fired and have to take a QB coach position.

Preifer has been employed without hiatus as either an assistant STC (2002-2005) or the full-time STC (2006-present) since 2002. Once he reached STC status in 2006, he’s held that job non-stop since then with now 4 different teams without a season off or a demotion.

NFL coordinator jobs have a HIGH rate of turnover. Hell, even head coaching jobs are short-lived. Less than a dozen HCs in the NFL have held the job for at least 5 seasons.

When you have a guy like Preifer who is able to keep the same job for almost twenty years, you can assume that dude is pretty respected and trusted throughout the NFL landspace.

It’s fine that you are arguing otherwise, but could you even name a concrete, specific reason why you think he’s not one of the better STC’s in the league?

I’m not saying Preifer is God or even that it wasn’t time for a change, but in this debate whether or not he is or isn’t considered one of the better STC’s has way more evidence (from the fans’ POV without being in the building to judge closely) in his favor than not.

The job he landed was with Cleveland.

If I had a week or two I could compile a very long list of coaches who were hired by Cleveland that turned out to be poor coaches.

[bubu dubu.]

Priefer was pretty good with coverage and return schemes. However, kicking is arguably the most important thing of ST. His kickers have sucked.

[Face The Facts]

In this thread I learned that getting the same job somewhere else, for a team that has been historically worse for possibly less pay is a promotion.

This also indicates the coach was in high demand.

[hategreenticemase]

In this thread I learned that getting the same job somewhere else, for a team that has been historically worse for possibly less pay is a promotion.

This also indicates the coach was in high demand.

Stunningly enough, this was actually funny, Facetheboredom. I even chuckled. You feeling ok?

[hategreenticemase]

Saw a headline today "Kluwe finally gets his revenge - Prieffer fired to coach in Cleveland."

[Ash Ketchum]

The debate on this moron is comical. Let me help some of you dummies. First, a coach can be good at some things and suck at others and overall need to go. Witness another season like this one and our boy Zim will qualify - great defensive coach, good at several things, too many flaws to meet or exceed potential of the teams overall talent. Jerry Burns - one of the 100 best offensive minds in the history of the game, too many flaws as a HC.

We have usually been good in coverage units. Sometimes real good. Same with return units. Punters have been a very mixed bag, overall I'd say not great. We have had well thought of young Kickers who we had to end up running out of here who then had success elsewhere. Had decent K last year who inexplicably couldn't make EP. When K goes elsewhere and the problems are mitigated - see, that's what we call a "red flag".

Worse than that is an absurd, hard to believe attitude - "if he needs a mental coach, needs to look elsewhere". If you ranked every collegiate and professional coaching jobs I can't think of 5 jobs where managing an ego/psyche would be less important than a God damn Special Teams Coach. Of course it's an expectation, of course it's critical. And what all you dummies should maybe slowly starting to figure out is - hmm, just maybe it's why a young K can suddenly and unexpectedly go to shit and then later with another team get back to functional.

He had a long tenure and did some things well. He was poor at some of the most critical things, period. What's worse is, he is almost proud of the reasons why he sucks at those things. Convenient, built in excuse - "I can't help it if some wuss ass needs his hand held and doesn't just do what I tell him. It's on him". No, dumbass, it's on the coach to reach his player. This ain't rocket science.

Bottom line - he should have been fired. It's the latest embarrassing sequence for a franchise who thrives on embarrassing itself.

This. I'll add that, as another concrete issue, even if you believe that there is no issue here, he's great, and coaches have zero effect on athletes, he's also been a very terrible evaluator of talent.

If you don't expect someone to have any affect, or to be involved with kickers on any level as a STC, as Ash does, and as Priefer himself does, then you damn well better pick the right kickers.

Because you have no ability or desire to coach them after the fact, and why would you? So, that'd be on Priefer and Spielman.

Correct.

And that’s what NFL teams do. Your kicker is supposed to make kicks. There’s no incentive for most teams to exhibit patience when their kicker struggles badly. It’s not like a young QB from whom you tolerate mistakes early in their career. For the most part, kickers are expected to be successful and if theyre not, theyre gone.

Again, Walsh sucked elsewhere. Forbath didn’t really suck. Bailey joined mid-season.

Can anyone who blames Preifer for the kickers missing give one specific example of what you think Preifer does wrong to have the missed kicks?

[Simpson Get Lifted]

The debate on this moron is comical. Let me help some of you dummies. First, a coach can be good at some things and suck at others and overall need to go. Witness another season like this one and our boy Zim will qualify - great defensive coach, good at several things, too many flaws to meet or exceed potential of the teams overall talent. Jerry Burns - one of the 100 best offensive minds in the history of the game, too many flaws as a HC.

We have usually been good in coverage units. Sometimes real good. Same with return units. Punters have been a very mixed bag, overall I'd say not great. We have had well thought of young Kickers who we had to end up running out of here who then had success elsewhere. Had decent K last year who inexplicably couldn't make EP. When K goes elsewhere and the problems are mitigated - see, that's what we call a "red flag".

Worse than that is an absurd, hard to believe attitude - "if he needs a mental coach, needs to look elsewhere". If you ranked every collegiate and professional coaching jobs I can't think of 5 jobs where managing an ego/psyche would be less important than a God damn Special Teams Coach. Of course it's an expectation, of course it's critical. And what all you dummies should maybe slowly starting to figure out is - hmm, just maybe it's why a young K can suddenly and unexpectedly go to shit and then later with another team get back to functional.

He had a long tenure and did some things well. He was poor at some of the most critical things, period. What's worse is, he is almost proud of the reasons why he sucks at those things. Convenient, built in excuse - "I can't help it if some wuss ass needs his hand held and doesn't just do what I tell him. It's on him". No, dumbass, it's on the coach to reach his player. This ain't rocket science.

Bottom line - he should have been fired. It's the latest embarrassing sequence for a franchise who thrives on embarrassing itself.

This. I'll add that, as another concrete issue, even if you believe that there is no issue here, he's great, and coaches have zero effect on athletes, he's also been a very terrible evaluator of talent.

If you don't expect someone to have any affect, or to be involved with kickers on any level as a STC, as Ash does, and as Priefer himself does, then you damn well better pick the right kickers.

Because you have no ability or desire to coach them after the fact, and why would you? So, that'd be on Priefer and Spielman.

Correct.

And that’s what NFL teams do. Your kicker is supposed to make kicks. There’s no incentive for most teams to exhibit patience when their kicker struggles badly. It’s not like a young QB from whom you tolerate mistakes early in their career. For the most part, kickers are expected to be successful and if theyre not, theyre gone.

Again, Walsh sucked elsewhere. Forbath didn’t really suck. Bailey joined mid-season.

Can anyone who blames Preifer for the kickers missing give one specific example of what you think Preifer does wrong to have the missed kicks?

That's been stated several times. Scroll back through this thread or look up his thoughts on dealing with the mentality of kickers. The incentive to exhibiting patience, or in this case any willingness to connect with a young kicker who's struggling mentally, is to potentially change the course of your failed kicking game.

The Vikings, with Priefer, have basically been dead last in that category. It's all cool when you have the athletes and talent to overall be ranked well in terms of special teams. Add in returners like Patterson and Sherels, and you're really flying.

However, now that the return game has been grinded to a halt, well now the glaring weaknesses are magnified. I'm no special teams expert, but I'm not sure I've really seen any outstanding wrinkles in what we've been doing. I do see other teams pulling off things that I never see the Vikings do.