Brad Childress Fired, But Still Owed Over $6 Million By Vikings

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The Minnesota Vikings fired Brad Childress on Monday after his team was blown out by the Green Bay Packers, 31-3, in Week 11.  The timing of the firing -- Nov. 22, 2010 -- is curious because it was just over a year ago -- Nov. 19, 2009 -- that the Vikings handed him a shiny contract extension.

The contract extension was reported at the time to take him through the 2013 season with plenty of guaranteed money. ESPN's John Clayton reported details of the contract last week in the wake of the Brad Childress firing watch.

The contract Childress signed last year was advertised as extending through the 2013 season. In fact, the final year is a team option. That means the guaranteed portion of the deal ends after 2012. Clayton reported that Childress is due a total of $6.6 million over those two seasons.

Owing Childress over $6 million over the next two seasons is even more reason for the Vikings to hang onto defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier -- named the interim head coach -- as the full-time head coach after the season. That, plus the possible ramifications of a NFL lockout, puts Frazier in a good position to try and win the full-time job.

So Childress will still be collecting a paycheck from the Vikings despite not getting the opportunity to finish the job.

Check out Daily Norseman for more on the Brad Childress firing.