View source for Dennis Green

{{Short description|American gridiron football player, coach (1949–2016)}}
{{other uses}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
|name=Dennis Green
|image=GreenSonHoustonTX.jpg
|caption=Green and his youngest son Zachary at [[Super Bowl XXXVIII]]
|birth_date={{Birth date|1949|02|17}}
|birth_place=[[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania]], U.S.
|death_date={{Death date and age|2016|07|22|1949|02|17}}
|death_place=[[San Diego|San Diego, California]], U.S.
|position=[[Running back]]
|high_school=[[John Harris High School]] (PA)
|college=[[Iowa Hawkeyes football|University of Iowa]]
|undraftedyear=1971
|pastteams=
* [[BC Lions]] ([[1971 CFL season|1971]])
|pastcoaching=
* [[Iowa Hawkeyes football|Iowa]] (1972) <br />Graduate assistant
* [[Dayton Flyers football|Dayton]] (1973)<br />Running backs coach & wide receivers coach
* Iowa (1974–1976)<br />Running backs coach
* [[Stanford Cardinal football|Stanford]] (1977–1978)<br />Running backs coach
* [[San Francisco 49ers]] ({{NFL Year|1979}})<br />Special teams coach
* Stanford (1980) <br />Offensive coordinator
* [[Northwestern University|Northwestern]] ([[1981 NCAA Division I-A football season|1981]]–[[1985 NCAA Division I-A football season|1985]])<br />Head coach
* San Francisco 49ers ({{NFL Year|1986}}–{{NFL Year|1988}})<br />Wide receivers coach
* Stanford ([[1989 NCAA Division I-A football season|1989]]–[[1991 NCAA Division I-A football season|1991]])<br />Head coach
* [[Minnesota Vikings]] ({{NFL Year|1992}}–{{NFL Year|2001}})<br />Head coach
* [[Arizona Cardinals]] ({{NFL Year|2004}}–{{NFL Year|2006}})<br /> Head coach
* [[Sacramento Mountain Lions|California Redwoods / Sacramento Mountain Lions]] (2009–2011)<br /> Head coach
|highlights=
* [[Super Bowl champion]] ([[Super Bowl XXIII|XXIII]])
* [[NFL Coach of the Year Award#Greasy Neale Award (Maxwell Football Club)|Greasy Neale Award]] (1998)
* [[NFL Coach of the Year Award#UPI National Football League Coach of the Year|UPI NFC Coach of the Year]] (1992)
* [[Big Ten Conference football individual honors#Dave McClain Coach of the Year|Big Ten Coach of the Year]] (1982)
* [[Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor]]
* Minnesota Vikings All-Mall of America Field Team
|statlabel1=Win–loss record
|statvalue1=113–94
|statlabel2=Postseason record
|statvalue2=4–8
|statlabel3=NCAA record
|statvalue3=26–63
| pfrcoach = GreeDe0
}}

'''Dennis Earl Green''' (February 17, 1949 – July 22, 2016) was an American professional [[American football|football]] [[coach (sport)|coach]]. During his [[National Football League]] (NFL) career, Green coached the [[Minnesota Vikings]] from [[1992 Minnesota Vikings season|1992]] to [[2001 Minnesota Vikings season|2001]] and the [[Arizona Cardinals]] from [[2004 Arizona Cardinals season|2004]] to [[2006 Arizona Cardinals season|2006]]. He coached the Vikings to eight playoff appearances in nine years, despite having seven different starting quarterbacks in those postseasons.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.footballperspective.com/dennis-green-and-the-revolving-quarterback-door/ | title=Dennis Green And The Revolving Quarterback Door | first=Chase | last=Stuart | date=July 26, 2016 | website=Football Perspective | access-date=February 25, 2021}}</ref> He was posthumously inducted into the [[Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor]] in 2018.

Green was the second African American head coach in modern NFL history, after [[Art Shell]]. He was the Minnesota Vikings head coach from [[1992 NFL season|1992]] to [[2001 NFL season|2001]]. He was one of the winningest coaches of the 1990s, posting a 97–62 record as Vikings head coach. Green's best season in Minnesota was in [[1998 Minnesota Vikings season|1998]], when the Vikings finished 15–1 and set the NFL record for most points in a season at the time; however, the Vikings were upset by the [[1998 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta Falcons]] in [[1998–99 NFL playoffs#NFC Championship: Atlanta Falcons 30.2C Minnesota Vikings 27 .28OT.29|that year's NFC Championship Game]], and Green was unable to reach the [[Super Bowl]] throughout his otherwise successful tenure with Minnesota. Following his first losing record in [[2001 Minnesota Vikings season|2001]], he was fired just before the final game of the season.

Green was hired by the Cardinals to serve as the head coach for the [[2004 Arizona Cardinals season|2004 season]], a franchise then noted for its futility, which had posted only one winning season in a quarter-century. In Arizona, Green was unable to match his success in Minnesota, and his poor win–loss record (16–32) with the Cardinals was similar to that of his predecessors in Arizona. However, many describe Green's tenure with Arizona as an inflection point in the history of the Cardinals, arguing that the culture of the team changed under Green, and that the core of the personnel in the [[2008 Arizona Cardinals season|Cardinals' 2008 Super Bowl run]] was acquired by Green.

==Early and personal life==
Green grew up in a working class household in [[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania]] at the corner of Walnut and N 12th Street. In 2019, the 1100 to 1300 block of Walnut Street was renamed "[https://www.pennlive.com/news/2019/06/harrisburg-city-street-renamed-dennis-green-way-in-honor-of-nfl-coach.html '''Dennis Green Way''']" to honor the late native.<ref>[https://www.pennlive.com/news/2019/06/harrisburg-city-street-renamed-dennis-green-way-in-honor-of-nfl-coach.html]</ref> Green's father, Penrose "Bus" Green, was the grandson of a Cuban slave who fled to Baltimore, Maryland and married a woman from the [[Seneca people|Seneca tribe.]] After serving in World War II, Bus Green briefly played semi-professional football for the Harrisburg Lions and supported his family by working for the U.S. Postal Service. Green’s mother, Anna Green, was a beautician born in Greensboro, North Carolina, and raised in Harrisburg. In his Autobiography, ''[https://www.amazon.com/Dennis-Green-Crybabies-Greenberger-Hardcover/dp/B011ME4N64 '''No Room for Crybabies''']'' Green recalls a traumatic beginning to his teenage years. His father died from a ruptured appendix at the age of 39 when Green was just 11. Two years later, his mother died from undiagnosed breast cancer. The youngest of five brothers, Green was then raised by his older siblings: Penrose Green II, Robert, Stanley, and Gregory.

Green attended John Harris High School (now Harrisburg High School) in Harrisburg, and graduated [[cum laude]] from the [[University of Iowa]] with a BS in Recreational Studies.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.uiowa.edu/admissions/undergrad/after-grad/executives.html | title=Notable Executives and CEOs Among UI Alumni | publisher=The University of Iowa | access-date=October 14, 2008 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081005191746/http://www.uiowa.edu/admissions/undergrad/after-grad/executives.html | archive-date=October 5, 2008}}</ref> According to Green, he was planning to be a high school teacher if his football career did not pan out. In college, he started as [[halfback (American football)|halfback]] in each of his three seasons with the [[Iowa Hawkeyes football|Iowa Hawkeyes]], playing under coach [[Ray Nagel]].<ref>Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 25, 1969 (all-Big-Ten honorable mention for Green).</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/iowa/1968.html|title=1968 Iowa Hawkeyes Stats|website=[[Sports Reference]]}}</ref> 
In his collegiate career, Green had 139 carries for 699 yards and nine touchdowns.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/dennis-green-1.html|title=Dennis Green College Stats|website=[[Sports Reference]]}}</ref> His best individual game was in a 1968 loss to [[Texas Christian University]], when he rushed 18 times for 175 yards and two touchdowns.

Green has four children from two marriages: Patti Green (born April, 1967), Jeremy Green (born July, 1971), Vanessa Green (born February, 1997), and Zachary Dennis Green (born November, 1998).{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}

==Boycott of 1969==
Green received a full ride athletic scholarship to attend the [[University of Iowa]] in the fall of 1967. During this time, many black athletes spoke out about racial issues in Iowa City that affected their social life outside of athletics, and, most importantly, in the classroom. In 1968, eighteen black student-athletes from the university's football and basketball teams were interviewed for an article in a local newspaper, ''[[The Daily Iowan]]''. Green, pictured on the second page of the article, stated, "The middle class whites believe in this black stereotype, and they believe all blacks fit into that black stereotype." Football player Louis Age, who was born and raised in New Orleans, said, "It is better in the south than it is here. You look at the white man down there and you know he doesn't like you; up here you don't know what to think. This place definitely has a phony atmosphere." After the 1954 ''[[Brown v. Board of Education]]'' ruling that racial segregation in education was unconstitutional, many of these issues arose for black students as they began to attend universities around the country.

In 1969, led by running back Green, sixteen black players of Iowa's Football team boycotted spring practice. The players were protesting a decision by coach Ray Nagel to suspended two black players — both starters from the previous season — for undisclosed reasons. The sixteen players were subsequently dismissed from the team. That did not stop them from continuing to advocate for changes within the athletic department to better support black athletes. Green was quoted by ''Sports Illustrated'' as saying in 1992, "the school wasn't ready for us, but it was also the times. Black guys wanted to prove their manhood, their boldness, to stand up and be counted."<ref name="riv">[https://iowa.rivals.com/news/the-history-of-iowa-football-and-racial-activism#:~:text=Racial%20tensions%20in,4/23/1969)]</ref>

Coleman Lane, one of the dismissed athletes, said, "The main crux of our demands is academic, and white and black will both benefit from it, only the black will benefit more."<ref>''The Daily Iowan'', 4/25/1969</ref> The demands listed by the football players and the Black Athletes Union were an attempt to improve the plight of black student athletes not only at the University of Iowa, but also at universities throughout the United States.<ref name="riv"/>

'''Aftermath'''

Because of their stance, most of the items the black players demanded were implemented at Iowa, and throughout the Big Ten, within a few years, and a couple of them within a few months.

As the '69 season grew near, the players, including Green, asked to be reinstated. Nagel had the majority white squad vote on the players individually at a team meeting. Seven were reinstated, including Green, but five were rejected. 

The boycott cost some of the players their football careers. While some of the black players were allowed back on the team, a handful saw their college careers end prematurely because of their participation in the boycott against the university's unjust academic and athletic prejudices.

Because of his leadership in the boycott, NFL teams with Green on their draft radar decided to pass on him in the [[1971 NFL draft]], thus cutting his playing career short. Specifically, the [[Dallas Cowboys]] had planned to draft Green, but instead picked running back [[Sam Scarber]], who was subsequently waived before the season started.

After graduating from Iowa, Green briefly played professionally for the [[BC Lions]] of the [[Canadian Football League]] in 1971 before beginning his successful coaching career. At the time of his death in 2016, he was the third most successful black head coach in NFL history, behind his protégé [[Tony Dungy]] and [[Mike Tomlin]].

==Assistant coaching career==
Green began his football coaching career, returning to the University of Iowa in 1972 as a graduate assistant. He then served as an assistant coach at the [[University of Dayton]] (1973), [[University of Iowa]] (1974 to 1976) and [[Stanford University]], where he coached under [[Bill Walsh (American football coach)|Bill Walsh]] in 1977 and 1978. In 1979, Green joined Walsh's staff on the [[San Francisco 49ers]], where he coached special teams. Green returned to [[1980 Stanford Cardinals football team|Stanford]] in 1980 as offensive coordinator, coaching with [[Jim Fassel]] and [[Jack Harbaugh]].<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/GreeDe0.htm|title=Dennis Green Record, Statistics, and Category Ranks|website=[[Pro Football Reference]]}}</ref>

== College coaching career ==
In 1981, Green was named the head coach of [[Northwestern Wildcats football|Northwestern University]], a school that had gone 1–31–1 in its last 33 games. In 1981, he was only the second African American head coach in [[Division I-A]] history (the previous coach, [[Willie Jeffries]], coached at [[Wichita State]], which no longer has a football team).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bcasports.org/micontent.aspx?pn=FAQs|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060525022801/http://www.bcasports.org/micontent.aspx?pn=FAQs|url-status=dead|title=Frequently Asked Questions|archivedate=May 25, 2006|website=Black Coaches Association}}</ref> Green was named the Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year, as chosen by writers and broadcasters, in 1982 at Northwestern.<ref>[http://bigten.cstv.com Big Ten Conference] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090422145307/http://bigten.cstv.com/ |date=April 22, 2009 }} – Football media guide</ref> He left Northwestern in 1985, doing a stint as the wide receivers coach for the [[San Francisco 49ers]] under his former boss at Stanford, Bill Walsh. In his last season with the San Francisco 49ers, they reached the [[Super Bowl XXIII|1989 NFL Super Bowl Championship Game]], in which Green made the play call that led to John Taylor's 10-yard TD reception from Joe Montana that secured the win with 39 seconds left.

In 1989, Green took the head coaching position at [[Stanford Cardinal football|Stanford University]], inheriting a team that had graduated 17 of its 21 starters from 1988. Green led the Cardinal from 1989 to 1991. During that time, his teams finished with an overall record of 16–18, a .471 winning percentage, going 3–0 in the [[Big Game (football)|Big Game]] against the [[California Golden Bears football|California Golden Bears]]. In 1990, his Stanford team defeated top-ranked [[Notre Dame Fighting Irish football|Notre Dame]] in [[South Bend, Indiana]]. His tenure culminated with an 8–3 record (Stanford's best since 1986). A loss to Washington in the opening game of the season was the deciding factor for the Pac-10 championship. The Cardinal made an appearance in the [[1991 Aloha Bowl]], where his team lost to [[Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football|Georgia Tech]] on a last-minute touchdown.

==Professional coaching career==

===Minnesota Vikings===
Green was a disciple of Bill Walsh's [[West Coast offense]], and was touted by Walsh and other NFL pundits as a likely candidate to be the second African-American head coach in the NFL. On January 10, [[1992 NFL season|1992]], Green was named [[Minnesota Vikings#Head coaches|5th head coach]]  of the Minnesota Vikings, replacing the retiring [[Jerry Burns]]. The day he was introduced as the Vikings' head coach, he announced that there was a "new sheriff in town". He was the second African American head coach, after [[Art Shell]], in the modern NFL era, and the first to do so without ever playing in the NFL. Green was the third in NFL history, after [[Fritz Pollard]] in the 1920s, and Shell.

Through his first six years with the team, Green never posted a losing record, and the team failed to qualify for the playoffs only once. He was reportedly the pioneer of using the team's day off on Tuesday to do charity work in the community, which eventually became common in the NFL.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/06/27/1998-minnesota-vikings-randy-moss-randall-cunningham-cris-carter-dennis-green-gary-anderson|title = The Greatest Team Never to Make It: An Oral History of the 1998 Vikings}}</ref> Initially, Green earned widespread praise for turning around what had recently been a lackluster franchise. However, as the team's fan-base grew accustomed to regular season success, he came under criticism for failing to advance the team deeper into the playoffs.

In 1996, two members of the Vikings' ownership board, [[Wheelock Whitney (politician)|Wheelock Whitney]] and Jane Dyer, reportedly contacted [[Lou Holtz]], who was the coach of the [[Notre Dame Fighting Irish]] football team and former coach of the [[Minnesota Golden Gophers]] football team. They wanted to bring Holtz in to replace Green.<ref>[http://archive.southcoasttoday.com/daily/11-96/11-19-96/d04sp152.htm Vikings' owners divided on Holtz] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081206143247/http://archive.southcoasttoday.com/daily/11-96/11-19-96/d04sp152.htm |date=December 6, 2008 }}. Ron Holtz. Associated Press. November 19, 1996. copy hosted on southcoasttoday.com</ref> Holtz abruptly announced his retirement in 1996, and rumors surrounded the reasons, one of which was the possible Vikings head coaching position.<ref>[http://www.thefreelibrary.com/VIKINGS'+GREEN+SAYS+HIS+TEAM'S+IN+HUNT-a084033967 VIKINGS' GREEN SAYS HIS TEAM'S IN HUNT] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110512211815/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/VIKINGS%27+GREEN+SAYS+HIS+TEAM%27S+IN+HUNT-a084033967 |date=May 12, 2011 }} Lee Shappell. [[Arizona Republic]]</ref>

In 1997, Green published his autobiography ''No Room For Crybabies'', in which he responded to the criticism and perceived personal vendettas by [[Twin Cities]] sports writers Bob Sansevere, [[Dan Barreiro]], and [[Patrick Reusse]].<ref name="citypages">{{cite web|author=Robson, Britt|url=http://www.citypages.com/1998-01-14/news/personal-foul/full/|title=Personal Foul|work=[[City Pages]]|date=January 14, 1998|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140404200213/http://www.citypages.com/1998-01-14/news/personal-foul/full/|archive-date=April 4, 2014}}</ref> He threatened to sue the team as his response to the Lou Holtz rumors.<ref name="crybabies">
{{cite book
 | last = Green
 | first = Dennis
 |author2=Gene McGivern
 | title = No Room For Crybabies
 |date= November 1997
 | publisher = Sagamore Publishing 
 | isbn = 1-57167-175-7
 | quote = There's no room for crybabies.
 | page = 224 
 }}
</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Seidel|first=Jeff|title=Will Vikings throw the book at Green?|url=http://www.pioneerplanet.com/sports/docs/spts4.htm|newspaper=St. Paul Pioneer-Press|date=October 25, 1997|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19971025134212/http://www.pioneerplanet.com/sports/docs/spts4.htm|archive-date=October 25, 1997}}</ref>

The high point of Green's Vikings career was the [[1998 Minnesota Vikings season|1998 season]], when the team went 15–1 and set the NFL record for the most points scored in a season. (The [[2013 Denver Broncos season|2013 Denver Broncos]] under [[John Fox (American football)|John Fox]] currently hold this record.) The Vikings advanced to the [[1998 NFC Championship Game|NFC Championship game]], losing to the [[1998 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta Falcons]] after Atlanta's [[Morten Andersen]] made a field goal in overtime.<ref name="auto"/>

In [[2001 Minnesota Vikings season|2001]], the Vikings finished with a losing record for the first time in Green's decade with the team and there were reported disagreements between Green and team owner [[Red McCombs]]; Green was reported to have almost resigned midseason because of McCombs insisting that he fire assistant coach and director of pro personnel Richard Solomon. The Vikings bought out Green's contract on January 4, 2002.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sources: Barring change of heart, owner to fire Green |url=https://www.espn.com/chrismortensen/s/2002/0103/1305110.html |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=www.espn.com}}</ref> Assistant coach [[Mike Tice]] led the team in their final regular season game against the [[Baltimore Ravens]], and was eventually hired as the head coach.

===Arizona Cardinals===
After spending two seasons as an analyst for [[ESPN]], Green was hired as head coach by the Arizona Cardinals on January 7, 2004. Through his first two years with the team, he totaled 11 wins with the Cardinals and finished third in the [[NFC West]], an improvement over predecessor [[Dave McGinnis]]. Unlike his previous two seasons, the [[2006 Arizona Cardinals season|2006 season]] began with great expectations for the Cardinals, with the opening of a [[State Farm Stadium|new stadium]], sellout crowds, the drafting of quarterback [[Matt Leinart]], and the signing of Pro Bowl running back [[Edgerrin James]]. After a solid start, the Cardinals suffered some tough early losses.

==== "They are who we thought they were!" ====
{{quote box|align=right|width=25em|quote="My doctor was very happy. He called me the next day, said: 'You know what? After that kind of game, (me) blowing up like that was a very good stress reliever', and my wife agreed."|source=—Dennis Green<ref name=TopTen>{{cite web|url=http://www.nfl.com/nflnetwork/story?id=09000d5d8112f98e&template=with-video-with-comments&confirm=true|title=Top 10 greatest comebacks in NFL history|website=NFL.com|date=2009-07-29|access-date=2012-03-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104120958/http://www.nfl.com/nflnetwork/story?id=09000d5d8112f98e&template=with-video-with-comments&confirm=true|archive-date=2012-11-04|url-status=dead}}</ref>
}}

The worst of these came in a ''[[Monday Night Football]]'' game on October 16, 2006, [[2006 Chicago Bears-Arizona Cardinals game|losing a 20-point lead]] to the [[Chicago Bears]] in less than twenty minutes, without the Bears scoring any points on offense. Asked about how Chicago's tenacious defense forced six turnovers and shut down the Arizona offense, the normally soft-spoken Green unloaded from the lectern:<ref>{{YouTube|SWmQbk5h86w|They are who we thought they were}}</ref>

{{cquote|The Bears are what we thought they were.  They're what we thought they were.  We played 'em in preseason&nbsp;— who the hell takes the third game of the preseason like it's bullshit? Bullshit! We played 'em in the third game&nbsp;— everybody played three quarters&nbsp;— the Bears are who we ''thought'' they were!  And that's the way we took the damn field! Now if you want to crown 'em, then crown their ass! '''But they ''are'' who we ''thought'' they were!  And we let 'em off the hook!'''<ref>{{cite web | url=https://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/07/dennis-green-press-conference | title=Re-live Dennis Green's famous 'they are who we thought they were' press conference | first=Nina | last=Mandell | work=USA Today | date=July 22, 2016 | access-date=February 25, 2021}}</ref>}}

The day after the press conference, [[offensive coordinator]] [[Keith Rowen]] was fired and replaced with quarterbacks coach [[Mike Kruczek]]. Although Green later apologized for the outburst, and the Cardinals rallied to win four of their last seven games, including a rare win over playoff-bound Seattle, many pundits felt that the loss to Chicago and ensuing tirade had already sealed Green's fate. On January 1, 2007, the Cardinals fired Green with a year left on his contract.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/2007/01/01/arizona_cardinals_fire_coach.html | title=Arizona Cardinals fire coach | first=Bob | last=Baum | date=January 1, 2007 | work=Toronto Star | access-date=February 25, 2021}}</ref>

Green's tirade is still used heavily in NFL media coverage today, often comically, to describe the obvious flaws of an opponent and the failure to capitalize on that knowledge.  It was featured in a [[Coors Brewing Company|Coors]] TV advertisement.<ref>{{YouTube|nda0lhz7BAk}}</ref>

===Later career===
In August 2007, the [[Westwood One (1976–2011)|Westwood One]] radio network announced that it had hired Green to serve as a color analyst on their [[Run to the Playoffs|Thursday night NFL broadcasts]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://public.westwoodone.com/thu-night-football.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928020340/http://public.westwoodone.com/thu-night-football.htm|url-status=dead|title=Thursday Night Football on Westwood One<!-- Bot generated title -->|archivedate=September 28, 2007}}</ref>

On March 11, 2009, it was announced that Green would be the head coach of the San Francisco franchise for the [[United Football League (2009–2012)|United Football League]]'s inaugural season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS173945+11-Mar-2009+BW20090311|title=United Football League Announces Former NFL Coaches Jim Fassel, Dennis Green, Jim Haslett & Ted Cottrell as Head Coaches for "UFL Premiere" Season|publisher=Reuters|date=March 11, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090316003240/http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS173945+11-Mar-2009+BW20090311|archive-date=March 16, 2009}}</ref> Green's first game as [[Sacramento Mountain Lions|California Redwoods]] coach was a 30–17 loss to the [[Las Vegas Locomotives]].<ref name="redwoods">{{cite web | url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5guPGXJpYELSr7SGcdGvp_zmf-s9gD9B7BNL00 | title=Las Vegas beats California in UFL debut | agency=Associated Press | date=October 9, 2009}}{{dead link|date=June 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

Beginning with the [[2010 Sacramento Mountain Lions season|2010 season]], the Redwoods moved to Sacramento and were renamed the Mountain Lions. Green remained as head coach for the [[2011 Sacramento Mountain Lions season|2011 seasons]] as well, his final season with the Mountain Lions. After leaving the team, Green sued the league for lack of payment on a $1.5 million contract for the 2011 season.  (The United Football League suspended play in October 2012 amid lawsuits alleging unpaid debts.) An [[Arbitration|arbitrator]] awarded Green $990,000 for the 2011 season, and the award was upheld in February 2014 by a [[San Francisco Superior Court]] judge.<ref>Dale Kasler,[https://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article54798225.html Ex-NFL coach fighting owners of defunct Sacramento team over $1 million in back pay], ''Sacramento Bee'' (January 14, 2016).</ref>

==Death==

On Thursday, July 22, 2016, Green died at the age of 67 due to complications from [[cardiac arrest]].<ref name=NYTobit/><ref name=NFLobit>{{cite web|last1=Sessler|first1=Mark|title=Dennis Green, ex-Vikings, Cardinals coach, dies at 67|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/dennis-green-ex-vikings-cardinals-coach-dies-at-67-0ap3000000676158|website=[[NFL.com]]|publisher=NFL|access-date=July 23, 2016|date=July 22, 2016}}</ref> He was survived by his wife Marie and his four children.<ref name=NYTobit>{{cite news|last1=Mather|first1=Victor|title=Dennis Green, Pioneering Coach of the Vikings and the Cardinals, Dies at 67|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/23/sports/football/dennis-green-dead.html?_r=0|access-date=July 23, 2016|work=The New York Times|date=July 22, 2016}}</ref>

After his death, the Vikings team released a statement saying, "He mentored countless players and served as a father figure for the men he coached.  He took great pride in helping assistant coaches advance their careers. His tenure as one of the first African American head coaches in both college and the NFL was also transformative. Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Green family."<ref name=NFLobit/>

==Head coaching record==
===College===
{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = both }}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Northwestern Wildcats football|Northwestern Wildcats]]
 | conf      = [[Big Ten Conference]]
 | startyear = 1981
 | endyear   = 1985
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1981 NCAA Division I-A football season|1981]]
 | name         = [[1981 Northwestern Wildcats football team|Northwestern]]
 | overall      = 0–11
 | conference   = 0–9
 | confstanding = 10th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1982 NCAA Division I-A football season|1982]]
 | name         = [[1982 Northwestern Wildcats football team|Northwestern]]
 | overall      = 3–8
 | conference   = 2–7
 | confstanding = T–8th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1983 NCAA Division I-A football season|1983]]
 | name         = [[1983 Northwestern Wildcats football team|Northwestern]]
 | overall      = 2–9
 | conference   = 2–7
 | confstanding = T–8th
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1984 NCAA Division I-A football season|1984]]
 | name         = [[1984 Northwestern Wildcats football team|Northwestern]]
 | overall      = 2–9
 | conference   = 2–7
 | confstanding = 9th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1985 NCAA Division I-A football season|1985]]
 | name         = [[1985 Northwestern Wildcats football team|Northwestern]]
 | overall      = 3–8
 | conference   = 1–7
 | confstanding = T–9th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Northwestern
 | overall    = 10–45
 | confrecord = 7–37
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Stanford Cardinal football|Stanford Cardinal]]
 | conf      = [[Pacific-10 Conference]]
 | startyear = 1989
 | endyear   = 1991
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1989 NCAA Division I-A football season|1989]]
 | name         = [[1989 Stanford Cardinal football team|Stanford]]
 | overall      = 3–8
 | conference   = 3–5
 | confstanding = T–7th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1990 NCAA Division I-A football season|1990]]
 | name         = [[1990 Stanford Cardinal football team|Stanford]]
 | overall      = 5–6
 | conference   = 4–4
 | confstanding = T–6th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1991 NCAA Division I-A football season|1991]]
 | name         = [[1991 Stanford Cardinal football team|Stanford]]
 | overall      = 8–4
 | conference   = 6–2
 | confstanding = T–2nd
 | bowlname     = [[1991 Aloha Bowl|Aloha]]
 | bowloutcome  = L
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      = 22
 | ranking2     = 22
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Stanford
 | overall    = 16–18
 | confrecord = 13–11
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record End
 | overall  = 26–63
 | bowls    = no
 | poll     = two
 | polltype = 
 | legend   = no
}}

===NFL===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%; text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"|Team !! rowspan="2"|Year !! colspan="5"|Regular season !! colspan="4"|Postseason
|-
!Won!!Lost!!Ties!!Win %!!Finish!! Won !! Lost !! Win % !! Result
|-! style="background:#fdd;" 
![[1992 Minnesota Vikings season|MIN]]||[[1992 NFL season|1992]]
||11||5||0||.688||'''1st in NFC Central'''|| 0 || 1 || .000 || <Small>'''Lost to [[Washington Redskins]] in [[1992–93 NFL playoffs|NFC Wild Card Game]]'''</Small>
|-! style="background:#fdd;" 
![[1993 Minnesota Vikings season|MIN]]||[[1993 NFL season|1993]]
||9||7||0||.562||'''2nd in NFC Central'''|| 0 || 1 || .000 || <Small>'''Lost to [[New York Giants]] in [[1993–94 NFL playoffs|NFC Wild Card Game]]'''</Small>
|-! style="background:#fdd;" 
![[1994 Minnesota Vikings season|MIN]]||[[1994 NFL season|1994]]
||10||6||0||.625||'''1st in NFC Central'''|| 0 || 1 || .000 || <Small>'''Lost to [[Chicago Bears]] in [[1994–95 NFL playoffs|NFC Wild Card Game]]'''</Small>
|-
![[1995 Minnesota Vikings season|MIN]]||[[1995 NFL season|1995]]
||8||8||0||.500||4th in NFC Central|| – || – || – || –
|-! style="background:#fdd;" 
![[1996 Minnesota Vikings season|MIN]]||[[1996 NFL season|1996]]
||9||7||0||.562||'''2nd in NFC Central'''|| 0 || 1 || .000 || <Small>'''Lost to [[Dallas Cowboys]] in [[1996–97 NFL playoffs|NFC Wild Card Game]]'''</Small>
|-! style="background:#fdd;" 
![[1997 Minnesota Vikings season|MIN]]||[[1997 NFL season|1997]]
||9||7||0||.562||'''4th in NFC Central'''|| 1 || 1 || .500 || <Small>'''Lost to [[San Francisco 49ers]] in [[1997–98 NFL playoffs|NFC Divisional Game]]'''</Small>
|-! style="background:#fdd;" 
![[1998 Minnesota Vikings season|MIN]]||[[1998 NFL season|1998]]
||15||1||0||.938||'''1st in NFC Central'''|| 1 || 1 || .500 || <Small>'''Lost to [[Atlanta Falcons]] in [[1998–99 NFL playoffs|NFC Championship Game]]'''</Small>
|-! style="background:#fdd;" 
![[1999 Minnesota Vikings season|MIN]]||[[1999 NFL season|1999]]
||10||6||0||.625||'''2nd in NFC Central'''|| 1 || 1 || .500 || <Small>'''Lost to [[St. Louis Rams]] in [[1999–2000 NFL playoffs|NFC Divisional Game]]'''</Small>
|-! style="background:#fdd;" 
![[2000 Minnesota Vikings season|MIN]]||[[2000 NFL season|2000]]
||11||5||0||.688||'''1st in NFC Central'''|| 1 || 1 || .500 || <Small>'''Lost to [[New York Giants]] in [[2000–01 NFL playoffs|NFC Championship Game]]'''</Small>
|-
![[2001 Minnesota Vikings season|MIN]]||[[2001 NFL season|2001*]]
||5||10||0||.333||4th in NFC Central|| – || – || – || –
|-
! colspan="2"|MIN Total||97||62||0||.610||||4||8||.333||
|-
![[2004 Arizona Cardinals season|ARI]]||[[2004 NFL season|2004]]
||6||10||0||.375||3rd in NFC West|| – || – || – || –
|-
![[2005 Arizona Cardinals season|ARI]]||[[2005 NFL season|2005]]
||5||11||0||.313||3rd in NFC West|| – || – || – || –
|-
![[2006 Arizona Cardinals season|ARI]]||[[2006 NFL season|2006]]
||5||11||0||.313||4th in NFC West|| – || – || – || –
|-
! colspan="2"|ARI Total||16||32||0||.333|||| – || – || – || 
|-
! colspan="2"|Total<ref name="auto1"/>||113||94||0||.546|||| 4|| 8 || .333 ||
|-
|}
<small>*''Only coached 15 games''</small>

===United Football League===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%; text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"|Team !! rowspan="2"|Year !! colspan="5"|Regular season !! colspan="4"|Postseason
|-
!Won!!Lost!!Ties!!Win %!!Finish!! Won !! Lost !! Win % !! Result
|-
![[Sacramento Mountain Lions|CAL]]||[[2009 UFL season|2009]]
||2||4||0||.333||3rd in UFL|| – || – || – || –
|-
![[Sacramento Mountain Lions|SAC]]||[[2010 UFL season|2010]]
||4||4||0||.500||3rd  in UFL|| – || – || – || –
|-
![[Sacramento Mountain Lions|SAC]]||[[2011 UFL season|2011]]
||2||3||0||.400||3rd  in UFL|| – || – || – || –
|-
! colspan="2"|Total||8||11||0||.421|||| -|| – || – || –
|-
|}

==See also==
* [[List of NFL head coach wins leaders]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
* {{Official website|http://www.dennisgreen.com}}
* {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110912025431/http://www.ufl-football.com/sacramento-mountain-lions/staff-roster/dennis-green |date=September 12, 2011 |title=Sacramento Mountain Lions biography}}
* {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061129042242/http://www.azcardinals.com/team/staff_detail.php |date=November 29, 2006 |title=Arizona Cardinals biography}}
* {{Find a Grave}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Green, Dennis}}
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