Reid, Childress share NAU link

MINNEAPOLIS – Their bushy mustaches look about the same, and their approaches to building and organizing their teams are similar. Heck, most of their team’s fans want them fired, too.

But Andy Reid and Brad Childress have different personalities and divergent styles, and this branch of the NFL’s coaching tree has several variations and twists.

“He’s maybe a little bit more, if you can imagine this, flat line than I am,” Childress said. “Hard for you to see that, right?”

The football staff at Northern Arizona University in 1986 spawned four future NFL head coaches. The bond formed between Reid and Childress during that season together in the high desert of Flagstaff and the high-scoring Big Sky Conference was strong enough that, 13 years later, Reid chose Childress as his offensive coordinator when he was hired to lead the Philadelphia Eagles.

Childress’ chance to be in charge at Minnesota came seven seasons later, and he has guided the NFC North champion Vikings to a wild-card game at the Metrodome today against Reid and his old team.

“Well, I wish I wasn’t seeing Brad in the first round, but I am proud of him,” Reid said.

Childress was the offensive coordinator at NAU, and Reid was the line coach. Future NFL head coaches Bill Callahan and Marty Mornhinweg, now Philadelphia’s offensive coordinator, were also assistants with the Lumberjacks that year. Reid cracked the NFL in 1992 with Mike Holmgren and the Green Bay Packers and brought Childress with him to Philadelphia after his old buddy spent eight seasons running the offense at the University of Wisconsin.

They’ve shared plenty of anecdotes and advice about coaching, and their families are friendly. Despite their attempts to downplay the personal significance of this game, it’s surely a source of pride for them – especially considering the hurdles their teams have cleared to get here, as well as the public skepticism they’ve endured.

Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, who spent four years on Reid’s staff, recalled Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson telling him he had “the greatest job in the NFL” because of the latitude and trust he had from the boss to lead the defense. Frazier said he feels the same way working under Childress.

Childress adopted much of Reid’s practice schedules, strategies and routines, both during the season and not, and hired his head athletic trainer (Eric Sugarman) and strength and conditioning coach (Tom Kanavy) away from Philadelphia. Reid and Childress’ expertise is on offense; Reid was one of Brett Favre’s many quarterback coaches in Green Bay, and down the road in Madison, Childress was drawing up plays for Heisman Trophy-winning running back Ron Dayne.