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| | Tuesday, January 25 | |||||
| MINNEAPOLIS -- Foge Fazio has resigned as Minnesota Vikings
defensive coordinator to become linebackers coach for the
Washington Redskins, the Star Tribune reported Thursday night.
Meanwhile, former Oakland Raiders defensive coordinator Willie Shaw, the Vikings' reported top choice to replace Fazio, told
Vikings coach Dennis Green he was not interested in the job.
Green could not be reached for comment.
The Saint Paul Pioneer Press reported that Fazio was expected to sign a contract in Washington on Friday.
Fazio, 60, had been the Vikings' defensive coordinator for four seasons. He joined the Vikings as inside linebackers coach in 1995. Before that, he worked four seasons as linebackers coach with the New York Jets.
Fazio, described as upset after Green fired inside linebackers
coach Tom Olivadotti without telling him first, said he had an
amicable discussion with Green on Thursday morning and leaves with
no hard feelings.
"I've had five great years with the Vikings. I hated to
leave," he told the Star Tribune. "I had a nice talk with Denny
this morning, and Denny told me how much he enjoyed our
relationship, and that he wasn't going to hold me up because this
was a great opportunity for me."
The Vikings finished 27th in total defense for the season.
Green's agent, Ray Anderson, said Thursday that Green did not oppose Fazio's resignation.
"That's just not his makeup," Anderson said. "That would be
out of character for Denny. You're not dealing with the Raiders'
mentality. You're dealing with someone who knows about fairness
because he's always had to battle to get fairness himself."
Still, Fazio said Thursday night he had no intention of
departing without first talking to Green.
"Nothing was set at the time (the story broke)," Fazio said.
"If I was going to go to Washington, I wanted to do it the right
way. I wanted to talk to Denny first, and I feel bad about that."
The Vikings made no announcement of the move.
Washington is expected to hire former Green Bay Packers coach Ray Rhodes as its defensive coordinator. Rhodes was fired Jan. 3 after an 8-8 season as head coach of the Packers.
Shaw, according to the report on the Star Tribune Web site, is holding out hope that he could land the head coaching position in
either New England, Dallas or the New York Jets. | ALSO SEE Ex-Packers coach Rhodes to guide Redskins defense Vikings continue to add ex-Packers coaches to staff His Green Bay days over, Lewis to lead Vikes' offense Bye, George: Vikings won't bring back starting QB No little squirt: Moss fined $40,000 for soaking ref  | |||||