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A lot of times, these guys don't get recognized like this until after they're gone. Am glad Cottrell is still here to enjoy it.
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Until recently, this reporter hadn’t spoken to Ted Cottrell since the evening of Nov. 4, 2007.
Ted was outside the visiting locker room at the Metrodome. As San Diego Chargers defensive coordinator, he had just been swept up in a perfect storm the likes of which had never been seen in the NFL before or since.
Adrian Peterson, a force of nature in his eighth NFL game, posted a record 296 yards rushing for the Vikings that day. With Cottrell’s defense missing key players at all three levels by halftime, Peterson ran 17 times in the second half for 253 yards, a 14.9-yard average per carry.
Cottrell, gracious as ever, was done explaining the fiasco when he started walking the wrong way toward where he thought the team buses were waiting. Having been the Vikings defensive coordinator from 2004-05, Cottrell was used to turning that way out of the locker room.
“Ted,” the reporter called out, sheepishly. “You’re going the wrong way.”
Cottrell shook his head as he turned and slowly walked back. Putting his hand on the reporter’s shoulder, he smiled and said, “It’s been that kind of day.”
Fortunately for Cottrell, he has always been a survivor. A guy who has had a lot more good days in football than bad ones.
How good?
So good that the Pro Football Hall of Fame is honoring him June 24-25 in Canton, Ohio. Cottrell will join the late former 49ers offensive line coach Bobb McKittrick and former Dolphins and Jets special teams coach Mike Westhoff as this year’s recipients of the “Awards of Excellence” among assistant coaches.
“It means a lot to be honored by peers for all the hard work and the sacrifice that’s gone into this,” Cottrell said. “I’m hoping it’s not over just yet.”
Cottrell is 78. His last job was in 2023 as defensive coordinator/linebackers coach in a USFL reboot of a New Jersey Generals team based in Canton. He is out of football now but hoping it’s only temporary.
“I got a lot of football knowledge up in this big, old head of mine,” Cottrell said with his vintage laugh. “There’s so much knowledge in that big head that I have to share it with someone as an adviser or something. So, anyone out there, spread the word.”
Cottrell spent 24 years in the NFL with six franchises. This won’t be his first trip to Canton. He presented career NFL sack leader Bruce Smith for his Hall of Fame induction in 2009.
“I got to Buffalo with Marv [Levy] in 1986, Bruce’s second year,” Cottrell said. “Bruce and I became very close. After his second year, my first year with him, he had 15 sacks and didn’t make All-Pro.
“He was really down. I worked with him. Told him to keep doing what he was doing and he’d make the Hall of Fame because God didn’t make too many people like him walking this earth.”
When Smith was inducted, he thanked Cottrell for being “the one that helped me become a complete player.”
Part of Cottrell’s recognition from the Hall of Fame is his role in helping the 3-4 defensive scheme — three linemen, for linebackers — evolve. He says he was doing schemes with nose tackles that others weren’t.
“I’ll call it a ‘knock ’em back’ technique,” Cottrell said. “My inside linebackers were like, ‘Where do we fit?’ And I’d say, ‘Wherever the nose tackle ain’t.’ And I’d tell my nose tackle, ‘Pick a side and stay on that side.’ ”
Cottrell’s work with nose tackle Pat Williams in Buffalo’s 3-4 scheme led to the Vikings bringing Williams to Minnesota for its 4-3 scheme.
“When Buffalo gave up on Pat and the Vikings were talking about him, I said, ‘Bring him here because I know what to do with him and he will be a force for us,’ ” Cottrell said. “The rest is history on that one.”
Cottrell’s highlight with the Vikings came during the 2004 postseason. A playoff trip to Lambeau Field as a heavy underdog turned into Cottrell’s defense intercepting Brett Favre four times in a 31-17 upset.
“The game Randy Moss mooned Lambeau Field!” roared Cottrell, referring to Moss bending over and pretending to lower his pants after a touchdown catch. “One of the funniest things I ever seen. Randy was smart. I learned a lot about defense talking to Randy about what he’s looking at.
“Well, at the time, people didn’t know the story behind Randy mooning the fans. Those fans over in Green Bay, they’d line up to actually moon the team bus when it went by. Only Randy could think to do that.”
Three years later, Cottrell was on the other side of Vikings greatness when Peterson was unleashed on the Chargers.
“We went back to San Diego and I didn’t even go home that night,” Cottrell said. “I studied the tape with [assistant] Kevin Ross and it had nothing to do with the calls or the defense. We had guys unblocked standing in the hole and Adrian just went ‘zoom’ and was gone. Over and over.”
Cottrell didn’t change anything for the following week against the Colts.
“I told the guys: ‘It’s a copycat league, so everything the Vikings tried, the Colts will run. Just execute and make the play,’ ” Cottrell said.
The Colts tried the same things. The Chargers held them to 75 yards rushing on 26 carries (2.9) with a long of 10 yards. San Diego won the game 23-21 and went on to win the AFC West with an 11-5 record and reach the AFC Championship Game.
Cottrell’s defense was fifth in points allowed (17.8) and first in takeaways (48).
Yep, Cottrell has had more good days in football than bad ones.
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