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Vikings retain Frazier through 2014
NFL ASSOCIATED PRESS
After leading the Minnesota Vikings to a surprising playoff berth last season, Leslie Frazier has reached an agreement on a contract through 2014.
The Vikings exercised the fourth-year option on his contract on Wednesday, helping Frazier avoid what would have been a lame-duck season in 2013 while also giving the team some flexibility going forward.
Frazier was entering the final year of his deal, and talks of an extension started to become an issue publicly as the Vikings mounted a stunning December run to the playoffs. Stuck at 6-6 and without injured receiver Percy Harvin, the Vikings rode Adrian Peterson to four straight victories, including a thriller over Green Bay in the regular-season finale to thrust them into the postseason. They lost to the Packers the next week in the wild-card round.
In deciding to exercise the option rather than extend Frazier's deal out further, Vikings ownership could be looking to avoid what burned them with their previous coaching hire. While Brett Favre was leading the Vikings to the top of the NFC North and a 12-4 record in 2009, Zygi and Mark Wilf gave Childress a five-year contract extension. That deal came back to bite them the next season when things went so poorly so quickly that they felt compelled to fire Childress 10 games into that deal, a decision they're still paying for this year.
Frazier took over for the fired Childress with six games to go in the 2010 season. He went 3-3 to finish that season, 3-13 in his first full year in 2011 and 10-6 in 2012.
Now a team that posted back-to-back last-place finishes in its division for the first time in the franchise's proud history appears primed to get back into contention much sooner than first thought.
Eagles hire Gamble: The Philadelphia Eagles have hired Tom Gamble to be vice president of player personnel.
Gamble spent the previous eight seasons with the defending NFC-champion San Francisco 49ers, including the last two as director of player personnel. The move was announced Wednesday.
Gamble will work in both the college and pro personnel departments.
Gamble began his NFL career working for the Eagles in 1988 and stayed until 1994, serving as a college scouting administrator, area scout, contract negotiator, and director of pro scouting. Gamble worked for the New York Jets as a defensive assistant/quality control coach from 1995-96. He became a pro scout for the Baltimore Ravens in 1997 before joining the Indianapolis Colts as a college scout from 1998-2004.
His father, Harry Gamble, was the Eagles' president from 1986-95.
Panthers seek state funds: Carolina Panthers' owner Jerry Richardson is asking state lawmakers to help finance an upgrade for Bank of America Stadium.
Richardson told lawmakers in Raleigh on Wednesday that he would like $62 million in state aid along with state approval for $144 million in higher local taxes.
Richardson and team President Danny Morrison were at the meeting with Charlotte Deputy City Manager Ron Kimble, who outlined the plan.
Richardson insisted he has no plans to move the team and says he's offended that anyone would suggest he's made that threat.
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