Fred Pagac
Encyclopedia
Fred Pagac is a former American football
tight end
and is the current Defensive Coordinator
for the Minnesota Vikings
of the National Football League
. He was signed by the Chicago Bears
as an undrafted free agent in 1974. He played college football
at Ohio State
.
Pagac also played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
and has been a coach for the Ohio State Buckeyes
, Oakland Raiders
, and Kansas City Chiefs
.
as an undrafted free agent in 1974. He played one season for the team, making six receptions for 79 yards. After not playing in 1975 Pagac played for the expansion team
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
in 1976. He finished the season recording two receptions.
from 1978 to 1995, defensive coordinator
from 1996 to 1999, and assistant head coach in 2000.
In 2001 Pagac was hired by the Oakland Raiders
to be the team's linebacker coach, and was there until 2003. From 2004 to 2005 he was the linebackers coach for the Kansas City Chiefs
. In 2006 the Minnesota Vikings
hired him.
On November 22, 2010, Pagac was named interim defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings
, replacing Leslie Frazier
who was promoted to interim head coach after the mid-season replacement of Brad Childress
. On January 19, 2011, the interim title was removed and Pagac was named the defensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
and is the current Defensive Coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
for the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was signed by the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
as an undrafted free agent in 1974. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Ohio State
Ohio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
.
Pagac also played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
and has been a coach for the Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
, Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
.
Playing career
Pagac was signed by the Chicago BearsChicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
as an undrafted free agent in 1974. He played one season for the team, making six receptions for 79 yards. After not playing in 1975 Pagac played for the expansion team
Expansion team
An expansion team is a brand new team in a sports league. The term is most commonly used in reference to the North American major professional sports leagues, but is applied to sports leagues worldwide that use a closed franchise system of league membership. The term comes from the expansion of the...
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
in 1976. He finished the season recording two receptions.
Coaching career
Pagac became a coach for the Ohio State Buckeyes in 1978 and coached there until 2000. He spent time as the teams linebackers coachLinebackers coach
A linebackers coach is a position coach in charge of the linebackers in gridiron football. This role is common in the CFL, NFL, and college football programs. The linebackers coach serves the defense, which is led by the defensive coordinator and works with the players of the three linebacker...
from 1978 to 1995, defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
from 1996 to 1999, and assistant head coach in 2000.
In 2001 Pagac was hired by the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
to be the team's linebacker coach, and was there until 2003. From 2004 to 2005 he was the linebackers coach for the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
. In 2006 the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
hired him.
On November 22, 2010, Pagac was named interim defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
, replacing Leslie Frazier
Leslie Frazier
Leslie Antonio Frazier is a former cornerback/safety in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears and is currently the head coach for the Minnesota Vikings.-College career:...
who was promoted to interim head coach after the mid-season replacement of Brad Childress
Brad Childress
Brad "Chilly" Childress is the former head coach of the Minnesota Vikings. He attended high school at the Marmion Academy in Aurora, Illinois...
. On January 19, 2011, the interim title was removed and Pagac was named the defensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
.