Andy Reid says he'd welcome back Brad Childress 'with open arms'

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Whenever Brad Childress is ready to return to coaching, his old boss says he'll have at least one job offer waiting for him.

"Right now, he's enjoying a little bit of time down on the beach in Florida, and that's a good thing," Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid said in a conference call with Twin Cities reporters on Wednesday.

"He needed to get away from the situation and he did. Brad knows that anytime Brad wants to come back here, I'm here with open arms. I think Brad Childress should be given another opportunity as a head football coach. He does a heck of a job."

Childress was on Reid's staff with the Eagles from 1999 to 2005, serving the last four years as offensive coordinator before becoming the Vikings' coach in 2006. The Vikings fired Childress on Nov. 22, in the midst of a once-promising season that has spiraled to 5-9.

"I know it's part of football, but I can't tell you that I didn't feel bad about it," Reid said. "He's a close friend, and I think he's a great football coach."

Reid said he hasn't discussed a return to Philadelphia with Childress, who has made few public statements since his dismissal, but added that he "would be honored" to coach with Childress again.

Reid also had Childress' successor on his staff in Philadelphia from 1999 to 2002 and called himself "a big Leslie Frazier fan." The Vikings are 2-2 since Frazier took over, losing their last two games by a combined 61-17, and would do their interim coach no favors with a similar performance on Sunday night in Philadelphia.

Asked if he'd offer Frazier the permanent job, Reid joked, "I wish I had that kind of clout. That's not my decision to make.

"I would say this: if I was an owner -- and I'm not -- I would hire Leslie Frazier. I think he's a phenomenal person. You never have to worry about him as a person. The players respect him, and he's a heck of a football coach."

Frazier said he has spoken with Reid since the coaching change and Reid has "been a big help" with the transition.

"The most important thing he told me is don't change," Frazier said. "Be who you are, among some other things. The biggest thing was be who you are. Be Leslie Frazier."

Tom Pelissero is Senior Editor and columnist for 1500ESPN.com. He hosts from 6 to 8 p.m. weeknights and co-hosts from 10 a.m. to noon Sundays on 1500 ESPN Twin Cities.
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