Coaches

Mike Priefer begins his 2nd year with the Vikings organization as the Special Teams Coordinator. The 11-year NFL coaching veteran has held the same title with the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs in years past.

Priefer’s special teams units are known for creating big-play opportunities. Since entering the League, Priefer has seen his units account for 13 scores (6 KOR, 4 PR, 1 blocked punt, 1 botched FG and 1 safety). He has also seen his squads block 15 kicks (7 punts, 6 FGs, 2 PATs) since 2002.

Since joining the NFL, Priefer has helped David Tyree (ST) and Chris Hanson (P) earn Pro Bowl nods.  Priefer went to the playoffs with the Giants in 2005 (NFC East Champions) and in 2006 with Kansas City (Wild Card).

Priefer could not have asked for a better start to the 2011 season, his 1st in Minnesota. Percy Harvin took the opening kickoff, Week 1 at San Diego, 103 yards for a TD, the 1st opening kickoff returned for a TD in Vikings history. Harvin later made NFL history in Week 12 at Atlanta when he returned a kickoff 104 yards before being stopped at the 3-yard line. It was the longest non-scoring play in League history. Harvin now owns 5 of the 11 longest KO returns in Vikings history in 3 short seasons of play. The Vikings set a team record in 2011 with a 26.9 average on KORs, good for 2nd in the NFL. The special teams unit also tied for 1st in the League with 4 kick returns of 50+ yards, returns made by 3 different players- Harvin, Marcus Sherels and Lorenzo Booker. Leading the way for the Vikings on special teams coverage was Eric Frampton, who led the team with 22 tackles and was voted Special Teams MVP by his teammates. Priefer played a big part in the development of 2nd-year player Everson Griffen, who finished 2nd on the team with 18 stops. Punter Chris Kluwe had a solid 2011 season, posting a 45.7 yard gross average and a 38.0 yard net average. Of his 77 punts in 2011, only 3 were touchbacks. Ryan Longwell made 2 FGs (11 total) of 50+ yards, extending his lead for the most career 50+ FGs in Vikings history.

During the 2010 season Priefer had 3 players rank in the Top 10 in each of their respective categories. Eddie Royal was 6th in the NFL with an 11.9 punt return average. Rookie Eric Decker was 10th in KOR average at 25.3 per return. Kicker Matt Prater was tied for 6th in TBs with 20. 

In his 1st year as the Broncos’ special teams coordinator in 2009, Priefer led a unit that placed 3rd in the league in average opponent drive start after kickoffs (22.9-yard line) and featured 2 AFC Special Teams Player of the Month winners (K Matt Prater and WR Eddie Royal).

Royal in 2009 became only the 11th player in NFL history to have both a kickoff and punt return for a TD in the same game (at San Diego, 10/19/09) while placing 7th in the league in punt return average (11.2 yds.). Prater finished the year making 19 of his final 20 FG attempts and tied for the 3rd-most FGs for a season in club history (30).

Before joining the Broncos, Priefer coordinated Kansas City’s special teams from 2006-08 following stints as an assistant special teams coach with the New York Giants (2003-05) and Jacksonville Jaguars (2002). His coaching career began at his alma mater, the U.S. Naval Academy, as a graduate assistant in 1994, and he owns 18 years of coaching experience at the professional and collegiate levels.

During his 3 seasons as the Chiefs’ special teams coach from 2006-08, Priefer helped punter Dustin Colquitt register the 3rd-best net punting average (39.2 yds.) and the 6th-best gross average (44.8 yds.) in the NFL for that period. Colquitt’s net averages for each of his 3 seasons under Priefer rank as the top-3 single-season performances in Chiefs history.

Kansas City also placed 5th in the AFC in opponent PR average (8.2 yds.) in Priefer’s 3 seasons and blocked a total of 4 kicks (3 punts, 1 FG) during that period.

In 2008, Colquitt ranked 7th in the NFL in net average (39.2 yds.) under Priefer’s guidance with the Chiefs, who also scored a TD that year on a botched opponent fake FG attempt. Priefer’s kickoff coverage unit was one of the league’s best a year earlier with Kansas City finishing the 2007 season 5th in the NFL in opponent average drive start after kickoffs (26.1-yd. line).

During Priefer’s 1st year with the Chiefs in 2006, Colquitt set a franchise season record with a 39.3-yard net average that led the NFL. Priefer’s special teams also tied for the NFL lead with 2 blocked punts, including 1 returned for a TD, and accounted for 1 PR TD (Dante Hall, 60 yds.).

As assistant special teams coach for the Giants from 2003-05, Priefer coached a unit that had the 6th-best KOR average (22.9 yds.) in the NFL while tying for 3rd in the league with 3 KOR TDs and adding 1 PR TD during that period. The Giants blocked 7 kicks (3 punts, 3 FGs and 1 PAT) with Priefer on staff, and the coach worked with David Tyree during the 2005 season when the WR earned Pro Bowl honors for his play on special teams coverage units.

The Giants’ special teams in 2005 placed 2nd in the NFL in the comprehensive rankings compiled by Rick Gosselin of The Dallas Morning News. Priefer worked with a unit that year that included a Pro Bowler (Tyree) and the league’s top-scoring kicker (Jay Feely - 148 pts.) while ranking 4th in the league in average starting position after kickoffs (30.7-yard line).

In 2003, Priefer helped the Giants tie for 2nd in the NFL with 4 blocked kicks (2 punts, 1 FG, 1 PAT) during that campaign.

Priefer entered the NFL coaching ranks with the Jaguars in 2002 as their assistant special teams coach. That season, punter Chris Hanson earned the 1st Pro Bowl selection of his career after leading the AFC in both gross (44.2 yds.) and net (37.6 yds.) average. Jacksonville also posted 1 PR TD (Bobby Shaw, 69 yds.) and 2 blocked kicks (1 punt, 1 FG).

From 1994-2001, Priefer coached special teams at the collegiate level, working for Navy (1994-96), Youngstown State (1997-98), Virginia Military Institute (1999) and Northern Illinois (2000-01).

Priefer’s instruction at Northern Illinois helped WR Justin McCareins earn MAC Special Teams Player of the Year honors. In addition to assisting the Huskies’ special teams, Priefer coached DTs during his 2 seasons at NIU.

He spent a season at VMI in 1999, coaching its special teams and inside LBs, after a 2-year stint at Youngstown State under Head Coach Jim Tressel. He worked with the special teams, tackles and tight ends at Youngstown State and was part of its Division I-AA National Championship squad in 1997.

Priefer began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Navy in 1994, instructing its special teams that season before coaching its LBs and defensive line from 1995-96. He also coached special teams and served as defensive coordinator for Navy’s junior varsity team from 1995-96.

A QB and WR on Navy’s junior varsity and lightweight teams from 1985-88, Priefer flew helicopters as a Naval officer for 6 years (1989-94) after his graduation. His work included tours of duty on the USS America in the Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean Sea.

Priefer owns a bachelor’s degree from Navy and received a master’s degree from the University of Maryland in 1997. His father, Chuck, was a long-time coach who worked in the NFL (Detroit, Green Bay and San Diego) for 17 seasons and coached at the collegiate level for 12 years.

Priefer was born in Cleveland and moved frequently as a coach’s son, graduating from high school in Green Bay. He is married to Debbie, and the couple has four children: Samantha, Michael Jr., Wilson and Katie.