Reacting to report that Mike Zimmer is 'irked' by lack of contract extension
Should the Vikings let him coach into the final year of his deal?
Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings
On the surface, it makes very little sense that a head coach with Mike Zimmer’s resume would be entering 2020 without a contract past this season.
With a regular season record of 57-38-1, he ranks 36th all-time in win percentage, a shade ahead of Pete Carroll, Doug Pederson and Bruce Arians and within shouting distance Tom Landy, Bill Walsh and Marty Schottenheimer.
He was hired to turn around the 32nd ranked defense and Zimmer has done just that, finishing in the top 10 every season in points allowed except for 2014, in which the Vikings went from dead last in 2013 to 11th.
Every year since Blair Walsh’s wide-left shank against the Seahawks has seen the Vikings enter the season as realistic Super Bowl contenders. And despite losing Sam Bradford to injury in 2017, the Vikings nearly got there, reaching the NFC Championship.
Certainly Vikings fans would have preferred the team have far better showings in playoff losses against Philadelphia in 2017 and San Francisco in 2019 but the overall body of work during the Zimmer era in Minnesota has elevated them to one of the premier teams in the NFL.
So it should come as no surprise that the Athletic's Chad Graff reported “there's growing tension” between Zimmer and the Vikings regarding his lack of a new deal.
Graff wrote: “Zimmer has been irked by the fact that it’s now July and he remains without a new contract, according to multiple sources who requested anonymity to speak freely about a sensitive topic. He’s begun preparing for what seems like a growing possibility that he may coach this season in the final year of his contract.”
Zimmer revealed as much following the Vikings’ win over New Orleans in the playoffs. He openly questioned criticism in an interview with his former pupil Deion Sanders on NFL Network.
Prior to the victory over Saints, the Wilfs published a statement on the status of both GM Rick Spielman (who is also in the final year of his contract) and Zimmer, saying that they had “every intent” to keep both around. Of course, how long they plan to keep them was not part of the press release.
A playoff win makes it easy to forget that there were reports prior to the win in New Orleans that the Vikings would consider trading Zimmer to Dallas. It makes it easy to forget the frustration after losing a pivotal Week 16 game on national TV against the Green Bay Packers (and the salty handshake that followed).
There has been a particular brand of tension that has surrounded the team since the Vikings spent $84 million on Kirk Cousins. In the record books a 8-7-1 season in 2018 doesn’t look all that bad but considering the expectations were set at Cousins taking them farther than Case Keenum, the pressure has been ramped up. More than 18 wins in two years and one playoff win was expected on the day Cousins put pen to paper. Add in the firing of John DeFilippo in ‘18 and unceremonious exits of a few key players and coaches this offseason and you end up with a better idea of why the Wilfs would want a short-term extension or prove-it year rather than signing up long term.
At the NFL Combine, multiple sources told Purple Insider that some in the organization viewed offensive coordinator (and now Browns head coach) Kevin Stefanski as a better fit for the future. From the front office to new COO Andrew Miller, the Vikings are pushing toward being one of the most progressive teams in the NFL. That hasn’t always matched up with some views — on and off the field — from Zimmer.
At the Combine he talked about going against the analytics department in a game in 2018, which sources said is a fairly routine event. And though he earned respect by acknowledging that he does not understand what black players deal with in terms of racism, he was not a major part of the Vikings’ efforts to discuss community action following the death of George Floyd. In the past, he has been insistent that players stand for the anthem rather than kneel to join Colin Kaepernick’s protest of police violence. No players expressed their frustration on the record but numerous players made it clear this offseason that they will be using their voice to discuss systemic racism. Will Zimmer come along with the direction the organization wants to go? That’s yet to be seen.
It also isn’t trivial that Stefon Diggs wanted out in part because he felt the offense was being held back by a more conservative approach.
So there’s more to it than winning percentage.
But in terms of X’s and O’s, wins and losses, there’s another big question: Can Zimmer build another winner?
You don’t sign people to contracts for what they have done, you sign them based on what they will be able to do. Can Zimmer take a new group of young players and develop them into a contender again? He’s going to have three new starting cornerbacks, a new defensive end, new defensive tackle and new No. 2 wide receiver.
Ownership may simply want to see it before they sign up for four or five more years.
This situation is reminiscent of the battle between the Vikings and Dalvin Cook over a new deal in this way: Both sides have a pretty good argument.
Zimmer has plenty of reason to be irked, considering he’s been through all sorts of unexpected things, from Teddy Bridgewater and Sam Bradford’s injury to the death of O-line coach Tony Sparano to his own eye issues and has still come out with a very good record.
But the Vikings’ owners may have expected better than the last two seasons considering the bar that was set in 2017 and they could have reservations about whether he will align with them going forward.
Could this turn into a game of chicken in which Zimmer is comfortable coaching in his final year with the potential to become a free agent? It wouldn’t be unprecedented in sports. Barry Trotz won a Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals in the final year of his contract and bolted for the New York Islanders the next year.
There would be some intrigue at the idea of giving a new coach the keys to a very nice looking car for 2021 along with fear that you can do a whole heck of a lot worse than Zimmer — and teams often do.
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I understand that Zimmer is old school and can ruffle feathers, but I believe he is one of the better head coaches in the league. He finally has an offense that he likes and an OC that he trusts. It's an ideal situation. I think he should get a three year extension and if no improvement is shown in the next few years, the you tear this team back to the studs and hire a new coach and QB.
definitely believe Stefanski was the better long-term fit, but obviously picking him over a reasonably successful incumbent would have looked horrible.