J.J. Watt Loves a Recent Vikings Addition
K. Joudry
|
J.J. Watt will be remembered as one the greatest football players of all time. Were it not for injuries, Watt may have ended his career as the best ever defender. He was that good, folks.
In his prime, he was a breathtaking player. He has three Defensive Player of the Year Awards, is five-time first-team All Pro, and an NFL MVP runner up (no small feat for non-QB, let alone a defender). As a sophomore, he had 20.5 sacks, a truly wild total when he remember that he was a 3-4 defensive end.
Watt is a surefire Hall of Fame player who demands respect from the NFL masses. As a result, his recent support for a Vikings hire bodes well for the Purple & Gold.
J.J. Watt & The Vikings’ New Hire
To replace Dennis Ryan – a Vikings legend – Minnesota opted for Mike Parson, who was previously employed by the Houston Texans.
J.J. Watt chimed in following the news from Darren Wolfson, offering hearty praise:
Mike is one of the best in the business, Minnesota got a good one!
I’ve heard nothing but great things about the Vikings facilities, the way they treat their players and staff, etc. Easily one of the best stadiums in the league too.
Happy to see my guy back in business!
Part of Minnesota’s goal is to develop excellence throughout the entire organization. Fans, reasonably enough, focus the vast majority of their attention on the players, coaches, and executives.
Make no mistake, though: having great employees in the various other spots around the team is vital to success. Just ask the teams coming in low on the recent NFLPA player survey.
Parson has some major shoes to fill. Ryan was in town for nearly five decades and he thus worked with an eye-popping array of talent.
From 1975 onward, Ryan had the opportunity to work with Alan Page, Fran Tarkenton, Mick Tingelhoff, Ron Yary, Jim Marshall, Carl Eller, Steve Jordan, Randy Moss, Tommy Kramer, John Randle, Jake Reed, Cris Carter, Daunte Culpepper, Adrian Peterson, Jared Allen, Kevin Williams, Pat Williams, Antoine Winfield, Brett Favre, Percy Harvin, Steve Hutchinson, Kyle Rudolph, Everson Griffen, Harrison Smith, Eric Kendricks, Xavier Rhodes, Adam Thielen, Stefon Diggs, and some young upstart named Justin Jefferson.
If Watt is enthused, though, then there is good reason to believe Mike Parson is up to the task. As the talented DE notes, the Vikings boast remarkable facilities, and Parson should have everything he needs to thrive in his role as the Director of Equipment Services.
Per the team’s website, Parson spent 13 years working in Houston but also has experience with the Saints. Furthermore, he has been employed by college teams.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this piece.
