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Dennis "Denny" Green (b. February 17, 1949 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania) is the current head coach of the Arizona Cardinals. He was previously the fifth head coach of the Minnesota Vikings from 1992-2001. Green is also one of seven current African-American head coaches in the National Football League.

Green's best season in Minnesota was in 1998, when the Vikings finished 15-1. However, they lost in the NFC Championship Game both that year and 2000. Despite compiling a record of 97-62 in the regular season, Green developed a reputation of being "unable to win the big one." (Playoff record 4-8)

Early life and career

Green grew up in the inner city ghetto of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and was a star halfback for the Iowa Hawkeyes. Green has said that he was in attendance at the game where Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in Harrisburg. Green played briefly for the British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League in 1971, then worked as an assistant coach at the University of Iowa, University of Dayton and Stanford University, initially under Bill Walsh.

When Green was named the head coach of Northwestern University in 1981, he was only the second African American head coach in Division I-A history (the previous coach, Willie Jefferies, coached at Wichita State which no longer has a football team) [1]. Green was named the Big Ten Conference coach-of-the-year in 1982. He left Northwestern in 1985, doing a stint as running backs coach for the San Francisco 49ers under his former boss at Stanford, Bill Walsh. In 1989, Green took the head coach position at Stanford University, leading the Cardinal from 1989-1991 and culminating in an appearance in the 1991 Aloha Bowl, where his team lost to Georgia Tech on a last-seconds punt return.

NFL Head Coach

Minnesota Vikings

Green was a disciple of Bill Walsh's West Coast offense and was touted by Walsh and other NFL pundits as a likely candidate to be the next African-American head coach in the NFL. Walsh also had his eye on the job at Stanford after a stint in the broadcast booth. On January 10th 1992, Green was named head coach of the Minnesota Vikings, replacing the retiring Jerry Burns. He would be only the second African American head coach after Art Shell in the modern NFL era, and only the third of all time after Fritz Pollard.

In November 1997, Dennis published his autobiography No Room For Crybabies (ISBN 1571671757) in which he threatened to sue for partial ownership of the team.

The high point was the 1998 season where the team lost only one regular season game, at Tampa Bay. In the playoffs, the Vikings were heavily favored, but lost at home in the NFC championship to the Atlanta Falcons.

In 2001, Denny's final season was marked by problems such as the death of Korey Stringer at training camp, the retirement of running back Robert Smith and star receiver Randy Moss reporting that "he plays when he wants to". The Vikings bought out Dennis Green's contract on January 4, 2002. Assistant coach Mike Tice led the team in their final regular season game against the Baltimore Ravens. Tice was eventually named the head coach of the Vikings.

Arizona Cardinals

Green was hired by the Arizona Cardinals on January 7th, 2004.

On October 16, 2006, the Cardinals blew a 20-point halftime lead over the then-undefeated Chicago Bears losing 24-23. The Cardinals blew the lead despite not allowing an offensive touchdown, with the Bears scoring on two fumble returns and an 82-yard punt return by Devin Hester. The Cardinals drove to within field goal range, but Neil Rackers missed from 40 yards out, sealing Arizona's devastating loss. On the following day, Green demoted offensive coordinator Keith Rowen and replaced him with quarterbacks coach Mike Kruczek. Dennis green may be FIRED by the end of this year by the arizona cardinals because he couldnt lead the cardnals to a win. What a loser.

Head Coaching Records

Northwestern Wildcats (NCAA Division 1A)

1981-1985
Year	W	L
1981	0	11
1982	3	8
1983	2	9
1984	2	9
1985	3	8

Stanford Cardinal (NCAA Division 1A)

1989-1991
Year	W	L	Bowl Game
1989	3	8
1990	5	6
1991	8	4	Aloha

Minnesota Vikings (NFL)

1992-2001
	Reg season			Playoffs
Year	W	L	T	W	L
1992	11	5	0	0	1
1993	9	7	0	0	1
1994	10	6	0	0	1
1995	8	8	0	0	0
1996	9	7	0	0	1
1997	9	7	0	1	1
1998	15	1	0	1	1
1999	10	6	0	1	1
2000	11	5	0	1	1
2001	5	10	0	0	0

Arizona Cardinals (NFL)

2004-2006
	Reg season			Playoffs
Year	W	L	T	W	L
2004	6	10	0	0	0
2005	5	11	0	0	0

References

External links

Preceded by Rick Venturi	Northwestern University Head Football Coach 1981–1985	Succeeded by Francis Peay
Preceded by Jack Elway	Stanford University Head Football Coach 1989–1991	Succeeded by Bill Walsh
Preceded by Jerry Burns	Minnesota Vikings Head Coach 1992–2001	Succeeded by Mike Tice
Preceded by Dave McGinnis	Arizona Cardinals Head Coach 2004-2007–	Succeeded by 'current'

Dennis green may be FIRED by the end of this year by the arizona cardinals because he couldnt lead the cardnals to a win.

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 ==Early life and career==
-Green grew up in the inner city of [[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania]] and was a star [[halfback (American football)|halfback]] for the [[Iowa Hawkeyes football|Iowa Hawkeyes]]. Green has said that he was in attendance at the game where [[Wilt Chamberlain]] scored 100 points in Harrisburg.  Green played briefly for the [[British Columbia Lions]] of the [[Canadian Football League]] in 1971, then worked as an assistant coach at the University of Iowa, [[University of Dayton]] and [[Stanford University]], initially under [[Bill Walsh (football coach)|Bill Walsh]].
+Green grew up in the inner city ghetto of [[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania]] and was a star [[halfback (American football)|halfback]] for the [[Iowa Hawkeyes football|Iowa Hawkeyes]]. Green has said that he was in attendance at the game where [[Wilt Chamberlain]] scored 100 points in Harrisburg.  Green played briefly for the [[British Columbia Lions]] of the [[Canadian Football League]] in 1971, then worked as an assistant coach at the University of Iowa, [[University of Dayton]] and [[Stanford University]], initially under [[Bill Walsh (football coach)|Bill Walsh]].
 When Green was named the head coach of [[Northwestern University]] in 1981, he was only the second African American head coach in [[Division I-A]] history (the previous coach, Willie Jefferies, coached at [[Wichita State]] which no longer has a football team) [http://www.bcasports.org/micontent.aspx?pn=FAQs&#stats].  Green was named the Big Ten Conference coach-of-the-year in 1982.  He left Northwestern in 1985, doing a stint as running backs coach for the [[San Francisco 49ers]] under his former boss at Stanford, Bill Walsh.  In 1989, Green took the head coach position at Stanford University, leading the Cardinal from 1989-1991 and culminating in an appearance in the 1991 [[Aloha Bowl]], where his team lost to Georgia Tech on a last-seconds punt return.