Zimmer’s Message Received by Diggs, Rhodes
Henry_Hagen
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Fans were surprised to see two key players in Stefon Diggs and Xavier Rhodes sitting out of a full-pads practice on Wednesday in Eagan at the Minnesota Vikings training camp.
The first concern for everybody was injury, but coach Mike Zimmer denied this when asked.
”They did not make me happy. It’s not injury related.” Zimmer said after practice.
Reporters who were in attendance at Vikings training camp in the days leading up to Wednesday said that there was some tension, arguments, and chippiness between the two star players. The drama peaked on Tuesday when Stefon Diggs, who was being defended by Rhodes, caught a fifty yard touchdown pass and proceeded to throw the ball into the stands. The next day, both players were missing.
Diggs and Rhodes were both back in action for Thursdays practice and were both asked about the situation afterwards.
”We go at it, but it’s all love. It’s a family thing here.” Diggs said.
”It was just the competitive nature in us. I didn’t want to lose. He didn’t want to lose… It’s stuff like that if you have a sibling you grow up with and he does something that you don’t like and then something tends to go off.” Rhodes said.
Zimmer didn’t necessarily agree with both of the players analogies to family.
“More like juvenile.” Zimmer said.
Mike Zimmer is not a coach who lets the star players get away with more. He wants things done a certain way, and expects that everybody follows that way. Zimmer showed this by making an example of Diggs and Rhodes, sending a message to the rest of the team.
The issue (which appears to be resolved) between the players could just be the result of everybody itching to compete against somebody that isn’t their own their own teammate as that’s all the action anybody has seen since training camp began about two weeks ago. The players are anxious to be done with practice and begin playing games.
Luckily, everybody will get a chance to compete against a fresh opponent when the Vikings take on the Denver Broncos in the first preseason game on Saturday night.
It’ll be interesting to see how long the starters are left on the field on Saturday. New quarterback, Kirk Cousins, will likely play one drive. While other staters, like Diggs and Rhodes, could possibly play for the entire first quarter.
If there is any remnants of an issue left between the two players, it should be washed away by the preseason game, which should always bring the team closer together as it’s the first true competition of the season.