Childress extending his purple reign

As Brad Childress sat in the three-season porch of his home in the western suburbs last July, he seemed unconcerned about a future contract extension. "I don't worry about any of that stuff," he said. "You do a good job, it takes care of itself. ... I'm just looking to improve and keep moving up the ladder, win-wise."

Childress has done exactly that this season and on Thursday, with the Vikings (8-1) sitting atop the NFC North, he was rewarded with an extension that will keep him with the franchise through the 2013 season. ESPN reported the deal is believed to be for between $4 million and $5 million per year and an NFL source said the new agreement will supersede Childress' previous contract, meaning he will get an immediate raise.

Childress signed a five-year, $10 million contract to become the Vikings coach in January 2006 after spending seven seasons as an assistant in Philadelphia. That contract was set to expire after the 2010 season but negotiations between Childress' representatives and the Vikings ownership had been ongoing. He has a 32-25 regular-season record.

"Brad has done a tremendous job leading this football team, and we value the positive environment he has created for the Minnesota Vikings on and off the field," owner Zygi Wilf said in a statement. "He has continued to positively impact this team and create a strong foundation for future success."

The Vikings have shown improvement under Childress each season since going 6-10 in a rocky first year. They finished 8-8 in 2007 -- running back Adrian Peterson's rookie year -- and then won the NFC North for the first time by going 10-6 in 2008. The season ended with a 26-14 playoff loss to the Eagles in which quarterback Tarvaris Jackson struggled.

Childress was frequently criticized for his loyalty to Jackson as well as for what many considered an unimaginative scheme on offense. Even as the Vikings improved their personnel, many wondered how the team would fare without an upgrade at quarterback.

That upgrade arrived on Aug. 18 when Brett Favre signed a two-year contract after Childress persuaded the future Hall of Fame quarterback to end his retirement.

"I am grateful for the opportunity that I was given," Childress said Thursday shortly after ESPN first reported he had agreed to a deal but before it was official. "I have a good group of guys in the locker room, which I've said over and over. I've got a great ownership group who, not only am I grateful for them, but they've been good owners from the standpoint of empowering us with players. They listen, there is a good dialogue, there is good communication."

Despite the Vikings' success, Childress' contract extension isn't going to sit well with all fans. When it began to circulate in mid-October that this might happen, more than a few wondered why there was a rush, and encouraged Wilf to wait and see how Childress fared in the playoffs.

Part of the issue is that Childress still hasn't been forgiven by some for making a less-than- favorable impression in his first year. A quick falling out with Daunte Culpepper led to the quarterback being traded to Miami and the release of wide receiver Marcus Robinson on Christmas Eve was a public relations nightmare.

In Childress' defense, he was trying to bring law and order to a team that had been through the embarrassment of the "Love Boat" scandal on Lake Minnetonka in 2005 and Wilf had gone so far as to have a code of conduct drawn up for the franchise.

Childress' ability to change the culture of things is one reason Wilf and his brother, team president Mark Wilf, firmly stood behind their coach.

Asked if he always felt he had the Wilfs' support, Childress said: "I think the bigger thing is, you supply the vision when you're selling yourself for this job and they have to buy into the vision of how you see the Minnesota Vikings going forward. We've been good enough to be able to fulfill part of that vision."