Former Vikings Coach Might Hang It Up for Good
It did not work out in Dallas.
Former Vikings Coach Might Hang It Up for Good
Former Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer joined the Cowboys coaching staff last offseason, taking over as defensive coordinator, two seasons after departing the purple team.
The experiment fell flat in Dallas, with owner Jerry Jones opting not to retain Zimmer’s boss, Mike McCarthy, for the long haul. McCarthy will hit “coach free agency,” and Zimmer is evidently contemplating retirement.
ESPN’s Jeff Darlington tweeted about the Cowboys’ situation: “A little more on the timeline of events in Dallas: Following a week of uncertainty within the Cowboys’ coaching staff — marked by what I’m told included both Mike McCarthy’s stalled contract negotiations and Mike Zimmer’s contemplation of retirement—McCarthy sent a final text message to his staff this morning, instructing them to clear out their offices a day before their contracts were set to expire. McCarthy said he would reach out to each assistant individually at a later time.”
Zimmer’s defense ranked fifth-worst in the NFL this season per EPA/Play, an awful mark for a defense showcasing playmakers like Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs.
The 68-year-old recently got engaged, so perhaps his NFL retirement will coincide with that event.
The Cowboys, meanwhile, have not filled McCarthy’s job, only beginning to kick up dust in the rumor mill. The latest and greatest theory? Colorado Buffaloes skipper Deion Sanders could take over in Dallas, though that’s speculative as of January 14th.
Zimmer head coached Minnesota for eight seasons from 2014 to 2021, responsible for the NFL’s 10th-best record on his watch (72-56-1, .540). The Vikings parted ways with Zimmer and his boss, Rick Spielman, after the 2021 season, paving the way for general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell to take over in 2022. The pair boasts the league’s sixth-best record since.
The ex-Vikings skipper also made headlines last August via a scorched earth interview with the Star Tribune. Following his January 2022 termination, the Vikings’ owners, Mark and Zygi Wilf, asked Zimmer if he wished to address his football team — basically to say goodbye, a farewell address. According to Zimmer, he had no interest. “They asked me if I wanted to address the team. And I said, ‘Hell, no. They got me fired!'” Zimmer told the Star Tribune in a tell-all sitdown.
“I can tell you I’ve not watched one Minnesota game since,” Zimmer added.
Zimmer also expressed retrospective dismay over Spielman’s selection of quarterback Kellen Mond in the 2021 NFL Draft. “The first round, Rick tried to trade up for Justin Fields, who hasn’t done anything. When he picked Mond, I walked out of the room. I left the building,” Zimmer said.
A retirement decision should be announced by Zimmer in the coming days or weeks as the NFL coaching carousel continues.
Dallas has the 12th overall pick in April’s draft.
Career for Beloved Viking Could Be Over
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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