Purple Headlines of the Week: Zimmer’s Return, Jefferson’s Contract Comments Cause a Buzz, a QB Decision Coming Soon?
Josh Frey
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Another week of the Vikings offseason has come and gone, and there are plenty of purple headlines to get to.
As the hiring cycle for coaches begins to wind down for the NFL as a whole, it really heated up for the Vikings this week. In addition, Super Bowl week brought out a number of comments from Vikings stars, including Justin Jefferson and Kirk Cousins. While we continue to press on further in the offseason, here is a look at all the headlines from the past week that you should know.
Mike Zimmer Returns to the NFL
After two years away from the NFL, Mike Zimmer is back in the league. The former Vikings head coach is joining the Dallas Cowboys as their defensive coordinator for the 2024 season.
Of course, Vikings fans will know Zimmer for his eight-year stint leading Minnesota from 2014-2021. During that time, Zimmer was the third winningest coach in Vikings history, going a total of 72-56-1 during the regular season. He led the team to three playoff runs, including their NFC Championship Game appearance during the 2017 season.
Zimmer, 67, has a total of 28 years of NFL coaching experience, holding various roles with multiple teams such as these Dallas Cowboys as well as the Atlanta Falcons, Cincinnati Bengals, and Vikings. However, his longest stint by far came with the Cowboys where he coached for 13 years from 1994-2006 and held the DC role from 2000-06. Now, he has a chance to help lead the team back to a Super Bowl for the first time since 1995.
Justin Jefferson’s Contract Comments Cause a Buzz
Justin Jefferson made his rounds on radio row this week prior to Super Bowl LVIII, and a topic that came up very regularly was his contract. Will he get a contract extension with the Vikings this offseason? If not, will the star receiver begin to look elsewhere?
Jefferson joined Adam Schein on Mad Dog Sports Radio of SiriusXM this week, and he said, “I want to break the bank, and I want to be a part of an organization that wants me, and to really give me what I deserve.”
Of course, this shouldn’t necessarily be considered breaking news. It has long been assumed that Jefferson’s next contract will be one of the highest for a non-QB in NFL history and “break the bank,” so to speak.
However, this is the first time that Jefferson has really been this open about his contract desires. Throughout the past year, he went through minicamp, training camp, and the entire 2023 regular season despite the fact that he hadn’t received a new deal, and he continuously professed that he was going to be there for his team, regardless of if the money followed or not.
Jefferson is worth every penny of whatever he gets with his next contract, so hopefully, he and the Vikings are able to reach an agreement this offseason.
A Kirk Cousins Decision Could Be Imminent
One of the main storylines of the Minnesota Vikings offseason revolves around their QB position.
Namely, Minnesota has to make a decision on whether or not to keep veteran Kirk Cousins around for another season, or if they should decide to bring in a new player to replace him. And, according to recent reports, that decision could be coming sooner rather than later.
The latest reports surrounding Cousins come from ESPN as Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler compiled some notes on what they’ve been hearing over the course of Super Bowl week. Here is what they had to say:
Kirk Cousins’ impending free agency is a story at this year’s Super Bowl, much like it was six years ago when the big game was in Minneapolis. The Minnesota Vikings are working to see if they can keep their 35-year-old quarterback — who is coming off an Achilles tear — and they’d like to have an answer in the next few weeks so they can plan accordingly.
So, if the Vikings are unable to reach a deal with Cousins by the time the new league year begins on March 13th, that is a strong sign that the two sides are parting ways.
In Case You Missed It…
As usual, we have an extra list of reading material for the especially studious Vikings fans. Happy reading!
- The View from VT
- A Wonderful Way for Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to Torpedo His Career
- “In a World of Trouble” & “To the Level of Panic” Vikings Look to Avoid Disaster
- Speedy Former Vikings WR Signs with Cardinals
- Former Vikings Head Coach Lands New Job with Seahawks
Three Routes the Vikings Can Take with the 11th Overall Pick
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.