WGRZ's Adam Benigni reported that the Buffalo Bills are working to set up an interview with Minnesota Vikings assistant head coach and defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier regarding the team's head coaching vacancy. FOXSports.com's Jay Glazer has since confirmed the report, adding that Bills brass will fly to Minnesota to conduct the interview. Vikings head coach Brad Childress told the Associated Press that Frazier's interview will take place on Thursday.
Per league rules, Buffalo must seek permission from the Vikings to interview Frazier. As Minnesota is currently in the midst of a bye week heading into their home divisional playoff game, any interview with Frazier must take place prior to this weekend, as he will be unable to interview for coaching positions again until after the Vikings are eliminated from the playoffs.
Frazier, 50, has spent the last three seasons in Minnesota, where he replaced current Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin. Prior to that stint, he was a defensive coordinator in Cincinnati ('03, '04) and a defensive backs coach three separate times with Indianapolis, Philadelphia and the University of Illinois.
Bills GM Buddy Nix stressed the importance of previous head coaching experience at his introductory press conference, and while Frazier has never held that title at the professional level, he was the head coach at Trinity College from 1988 through 1996.
Earlier today, Mark Gaughan of The Buffalo News reported that Buffalo's head coaching search is expected to take a "couple of weeks." That could indicate that the Bills plan to interview more coordinators for playoff teams scheduled to play games this weekend.