What Would Jimmy Do?

Jimmy Johnson has very few regrets from his NFL coaching career. One thing he says he would have done differently: sitting Dan Marino.

On Fox NFL Sunday, Johnson explained that toward the end of Marino's career with the Miami Dolphins, the Hall of Fame quarterback was injured, struggling, and in Johnson's eyes more of a detriment to the team than an asset. Johnson says he toyed with the idea of benching Marino in 1999, but ultimately decided against it, citing Marino's status, even though he felt the backup (Damon Huard) gave the team a better chance to win..

He used this analogy to explain why he feels Minnesota Vikings head coach Brad Childress should bench his future Hall of Fame quarterback, Brett Favre.

In six games this season, Favre is 2-4, has thrown 10 interceptions to only seven touchdowns, and has a QB rating of 68.6. Adding injury to insult, he has two broken bones in his left foot, and possibly a broken marriage after a "sexting" scandal involving former NY Jets employee Jenn Sterger. He's 41 years old, immobile, and being paid $20 million this season.

The Vikings have no leverage to bench the ailing Favre, after bending over backwards this summer to woo him into returning. Favre currently has his consecutive games started streak that sits at an NFL record of 291games. Speculation is that Favre wants to get that up to 300.

After the Vikings most recent loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football, Childress attempted throwing Favre under the bus. In the press conference, he had this to say about a Favre interception that led to points for the Packers:

“Yeah, the (interception) to Desmond Bishop, I’d have to look at that because I’d like to know where we’re going with the football, because I believe the play was designed to go to the other side and I think Percy’s standing there in big air, so not sure why we’re looking at the left-hand side...”

The interception was only one of three for Favre that game. The Vikings lost 28-24.

In Johnson's eyes, the Vikings are sacrificing team success for the appeasement of one player. He said he openly treated star players on his teams differently than others, but never at the expense of compromising the idea of team unity.

Johnson won two Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys, a National Championship with the University of Miami, (FL), and is a spokesman for ExtenZe, a male-enhancement medicine. Childress has won a playoff game. He may want to listen up.