Welcome to the New Era of Minnesota Vikings
Jonathan Haak
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On Monday morning, the news broke that not only was head coach Mike Zimmer being let go, but in a surprise move, the Vikings organization also decided to part ways with longtime front office executive and General Manager Rick Spielman.
It was long expected that Zimmer would be fired after the season. Still, rumors persisted regarding the possibility of Spielman being retained within the organization and perhaps assisting in the search for a new GM while maintaining some role in the front office that he built. The idea behind this plan? Maintain some continuity in the front office during the search for a new head coach and the change that would occur with Zimmer’s replacement.
Obviously, that scenario did not happen with Spielman being let go, and this ushers into place a new era for the Vikings, complete with immense change coming both on the field with a new coach and in the front office. What will this new era mean for Minnesota? Well, we won’t know until the new GM and HC are announced and possibly not even then.
But one thing is clear. Significant change is coming.
Wilf’s Plan Moving Forward
In their meeting with the press on Monday afternoon following the firings of Zimmer and Spielman, a point that was reiterated constantly was the importance of communication and leadership skills for the new hires. While general positive platitudes like this are common, it seems that the Wilfs had grown disenchanted with Zimmer’s ‘tough guy’ approach, and the next hire at the HC position will likely be a much friendlier and more approachable figure.
As for the hires at the GM position, the Wilfs’ comments paint the picture that they plan to give the new GM substantial power, both in choosing who the new HC is and then going forward in the many crucial decisions upcoming for the Vikings franchise — greatest among these decisions what is to be done at the quarterback position going forward, with Cousins currently carrying a $45 million dollar cap hit for the 2022 season.
It has been reported around the league that of the open GM and HC positions, the Vikings’ openings appear the most attractive to possible candidates. Due to the investment the Wilfs have put into the team, while at the same time the long leash they hand to decision-makers regarding how best to win on the field, many names have shown up in rumor mills for both the GM and HC positions for Minnesota. And it remains to be seen who will be hired. The plan appears to be to hire a GM in the next couple of weeks and then work with that GM to find an ideal fit at head coach.
New Era Ahead
Regardless of what happens in the coming months, the new coach and GM will be evaluated over a period of years, and the jury will be out for the incoming duo likely until at least 2024. But like Zimmer and Spielman or not, the new leadership for Minnesota will have big shoes to fill. The Spielman/Zimmer era brought stability and established a winning culture, a culture that the new Vikings head coach must revitalize if they hope to avoid the same fate as his predecessor.