Vikes President Headrick Resigns

With the sale of the Minnesota Vikings to Red McCombs complete, controversial team president Roger Headrick resigned Friday.

McCombs assumed the reins Thursday and Headrick's resignation came this morning. No replacement has been named.

Headrick served as the chief executive officer of a Vikings ownership group that included 10 directors. At times he quarreled with head coach Dennis Green and the coaching staff, at one point blocking the resignation of offensive coordinator Brian Billick by taking up the matter with commissioner Paul Tagliabue.

When the team was originally sold to author Tom Clancy, Headrick pushed for the right of his group to match the $200 million-plus price tag. Tagliabue was called upon again and sided with Clancy, but the deal eventually blew up and McCombs stepped in.

Prior to that, Headrick was feuding with Green, who outlined an ownership takeover plan in his book but kept his job, as Headrick resisted firing the head coach.

The 62-year-old Headrick took over as the Vikings' president and CEO in 1991 and helped turn Minnesota into a consistent playoff team. He hired Green for the 1992 campaign and the Vikings made the postseason three straight seasons, rebuilding after a disastrous deal with Dallas to acquire Herschel Walker. That deal cost Minnesota first-round draft choices from 1989-92.

Headrick made some notable moves to improve the club.

The 1993 trade of tackle Gary Zimmerman, who had announced his retirement, to Denver brought three draft picks that turned out to be cornerback Dewayne Washington, tight end Andrew Jordan and safety Orlando Thomas.

In 1994, Headrick signed free agent quarterback Warren Moon and dealt defensive end Chris Dleman to San Francisco in a deal that yielded the draft picks used to select defensive end Derrick Alexander and return man David Palmer.

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