Vikings nose tackle Pat Williams was outspoken on Thursday about a Chicago Sun-Times story that quoted a handful of Vikings players anonymously ripping coach Brad Childress and saying they wish he would be fired.

NFL Network analyst Joe Theismann had even harsher words for those players quoted in the story. Theismann addressed the issue before Thursday's game.

"You guys are gutless," Theismann said in a transcript provided by the network. "If you want to make a statement like that, put your name to it instead of hiding behind the term 'gutless.' So if you don't like the coach, tell him. If you're going to say it publicly, put your name to it because that just makes you wimpy and gutless in my mind. That whole organization is a ship that's coming apart."

NFL Network/Fox Sports NFL insider Jay Glazer also shared his thoughts on the situation. "There's been this sort of feeling towards Brad Childress for quite some time, but when you're winning, it really covers it up," Glazer said. "What the players really have a big problem with right now is they say for years Childress, whenever one of the players comes out and says something dumb or inflammatory, he'll bring it into a meeting, hold it up, read it in front of everybody in the team meeting and say, 'Do not be a distraction to the team.' Well right now, [the players believe] Brad Childress is the biggest distraction. He's breaking his own cardinal rule."