Brad Childress

Brad Childress, born on June 27, 1956, in Aurora, Illinois, embarked on a distinguished career in Football coaching that spanned more than 40 years. He is an alumnus of Eastern Illinois University, where he had played quarterback and wide receiver at the University of Illinois before an injury led him to coach. His early career included various college programs, starting as a running backs coach at Illinois from 1978 to 1980, followed by a stint as wide receivers coach until 1984. During this period, the Illinois Fighting Illini achieved four consecutive winning seasons from 1981 to 1984, including a Big Ten championship and a Rose Bowl appearance in 1983. He gained further experience at Northern Arizona and Utah before a successful tenure at the University of Wisconsin as offensive coordinator from 1994 to 1998, where he helped lead the Badgers to five bowl games, including two Rose Bowls. He coached Ron Dayne, who later won the Heisman Trophy in 1999.

Childress moved to the NFL in 1999, joining the Philadelphia Eagles as quarterback coach, a role he held until 2001 before being promoted to offensive coordinator from 2002 to 2005. During his time with the Eagles, the team reached three consecutive NFC Championship games from 2001 to 2003 and a Super Bowl trip in 2004. He was credited with developing quarterback Donovan McNabb, who earned five Pro Bowl selections under his guidance. In 2006, Childress was appointed the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings, leading the team for five seasons until 2010. Under his leadership, the Vikings secured an NFC North title in 2008 and reached the NFC Championship Game in 2009 with Brett Favre as quarterback. He finished his NFL coaching career with roles as offensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns in 2012, and then with the Kansas City Chiefs from 2013 to 2017, serving as spread game analyst, co-offensive coordinator, and assistant head coach. He also had a brief head coaching role with the Atlanta Legends in the Alliance of Football in 2018 before returning to the NFL as an offensive consultant and senior offensive assistant for the Chicago Bears in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Childress announced his retirement from coaching in April 2020.