Leslie Frazier has lived football at its highest levels. He has hoisted the Lombardi Trophy as both a player and a coach, an achievement shared by only a handful of people in NFL history. From anchoring the legendary 1985 Chicago Bears defense to leading teams from the sidelines in Minnesota, Indianapolis, Buffalo, and now Seattle, Frazier’s resume reads like a tour through modern football history.
But when Frazier speaks about his life, the conversation quickly moves beyond championships, schemes, and statistics. For him, the defining thread through every season has been faith — a foundation laid long before the roar of NFL stadiums ever surrounded him.
(We invite you to listen to the conversation between Jalon Caldwell and Leslie Frazier in the podcast below).
A Childhood Shaped by Discipline and Prayer
Frazier was raised in Columbus, Mississippi, under circumstances that demanded resilience early in life. His mother struggled with substance abuse, his father was absent, and responsibility fell squarely on his grandmother, who raised Leslie and his two younger brothers.
“She was pretty strict in raising three boys,” Frazier recalled. “Part of that discipline was making sure that we were in church on Sundays.” At the time, he admits, he didn’t understand why that mattered. Like many young boys, he wanted to play sports and spend time with friends. But years later, the significance of that structure became clear.
“That foundation that she laid really made the difference in me becoming what I am today,” he said. “I’m forever grateful for my grandmother — for her guidance, her prayers, and her leadership.”
Those early lessons in accountability and faith would quietly shape the way Frazier approached every locker room he later entered.
An Abrupt Ending and an Unexpected Calling
As a player, Frazier appeared destined for a long NFL career. He was a key contributor on what many consider the greatest defense in league history, leading the Bears in interceptions for three consecutive seasons. Then, in the Super Bowl, everything changed.
“I was at the end of my contract, thinking about the next one,” Frazier said. “I went to bed the night before dreaming about success, and all of a sudden you’re faced with a career-altering injury.”
After 18 months of rehabilitation, Frazier realized his playing days were over. Coaching was not part of his original plan. In fact, he insists it wasn’t even his desire. Instead, he felt something deeper pulling him in a new direction.
“I just felt like God was leading me toward coaching,” he said.
That calling began far from the NFL spotlight — at Trinity College in Deerfield, Illinois, a small Division III school. There, Frazier learned the fundamentals of leadership that would later guide him at the highest level: building relationships, teaching young men, and helping others reach their goals.
Leading the Vikings Without Losing Himself
Those lessons became invaluable years later when Frazier took over as head coach of the Minnesota Vikings. The pressure of leading an NFL franchise can push coaches to reinvent themselves, but Frazier leaned on a different approach.
“One of the biggest things I learned is you can be yourself,” he said. “You don’t have to try to be something you’re not just because you’re the head coach.”
Frazier credits former Colts head coach Tony Dungy as a powerful influence during that time. Watching Dungy lead with integrity and consistency gave Frazier confidence to remain grounded in his own beliefs.
“Don’t deviate from what you stand for because of your title,” Frazier said. “Hopefully you’ll win enough games, but you stay true to what you believe.”
Two Rings, One Lasting Bond
Winning a Super Bowl as both a player and a coach places Frazier in rare company, but he resists ranking one achievement over the other. Instead, he emphasizes how different the experiences were. Frazier was a part of the legendary Chicago Bears squad that captured the nation's attention in 1985 with it's "Super Bowl Shuffe" music video, prior to defeating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX in January 1986. He also won the sport's biggest game as an assistant coach with the Dungy-led Indianapolis Colts, when they defeated the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI in February 2007.
“As a player, you feel more in charge of your own destiny,” he explained. “As a coach, you’re pouring into people, trying to help them reach their best.”
Still, there is something about the brotherhood formed as a player that has endured for decades. Forty years after the Bears’ iconic championship, Frazier still feels deeply connected to his teammates.
“They FaceTimed me as they were walking into Soldier Field,” he said with a laugh. “It was so cool. Those relationships are lifelong.”
A Fellowship Beyond the Sidelines
Faith has remained central to Frazier’s life in football, but he has been intentional about how he shares it. Along with Dungy and other coaches, Frazier helped establish a long-running NFL coaches’ fellowship centered on Scripture Union’s "Encounter with God" devotional.
“We meet twice a month,” he said. “We get into scripture, pray for one another, and talk about what God is doing in our lives.”
The fellowship, now more than 20 years old, has become a support system in a league defined by pressure and constant evaluation. Frazier believes it offers a healthier alternative for dealing with stress.
“There’s another way to handle the pressure of the NFL,” he said. “And that way is through Jesus Christ.”
Leading by Example in a Secular Environment
Frazier is keenly aware that professional football is a secular workplace where overt expressions of faith can be unwelcome. His solution has been consistency rather than confrontation.
“You can’t stand up in meetings and start quoting scripture,” he said. “That wouldn’t go over very well.”
Instead, he lets his actions speak. Players notice how he treats people, how he responds to adversity, and how he demands excellence without demeaning others.
“That becomes your opportunity,” Frazier explained. “They start asking why you’re different.”
A New Chapter in Seattle
Now serving as assistant head coach of the Seattle Seahawks, Frazier sees this stage as an opportunity to give back. He works closely with head coach Mike Macdonald, sharing lessons learned — both successes and failures — from his own head coaching experience.
“That brings me great satisfaction,” he said. “Helping coaches, helping players, and sharing my faith when the opportunity presents itself.”
For Leslie Frazier, the measure of success has never been limited to wins or rings. It is found in obedience, consistency, and the quiet confidence of walking the path he believes God set before him — one season at a time.
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