Mike Tice

Lore & Background

Mike Tice played tight end in the NFL from 1981 to 1995 for the Seattle Seahawks, Washington Redskins, and Minnesota Vikings. He joined the Vikings coaching staff immediately after retiring, first as tight ends coach (1996) and then offensive line coach (1997–2001). He took over as interim head coach for the final game of the 2001 season and was named the 6th head coach in franchise history on January 10, 2002. Under Tice, the Vikings led the NFL in rushing in 2002 and in total offense in 2003. In 2004, the team set franchise records with 6,339 total yards and 4,754 passing yards. Tice was fined $100,000 in 2005 for organizing and profiting from a Super Bowl ticket scalping operation. His contract expired after the 2005 season, and he finished with a regular season record of 32–33 and a 1–1 playoff record.

In Their Own Story

The wind howled across the frozen turf of the Metrodome, but inside Mike Tice's office, the air was thick with chalk dust and determination. He stared at the whiteboard, tracing a complex defensive alignment that had stopped opponents for years. 'We don't need flash,' he told his staff, his voice gravelly from decades of shouting over crowd noise. 'We need to make them pay for every yard.' As the clock ticked down on another practice session, Tice knew the Vikings' identity wasn't in the highlight reel; it was in the trenches, where the game was truly won.

Reader's Guide

Tice was the first former Viking player to become the team's head coach. He was head coach during the 2005 boat party scandal. After leaving the Vikings, he coached for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Chicago Bears, Atlanta Falcons, and Oakland Raiders before retiring in 2018.

Did You Know?

• Tice played quarterback in college for the Maryland Terrapins.
• He is the older brother of former NFL tight end John Tice.
• His teammates in Seattle nicknamed his eating style 'Mike Tice's Lunchout' as a parody of Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!
• Tice was inducted into the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.