Mike Zimmer is Still a Free Agent
K. Joudry
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Coming into Minnesota, Mike Zimmer was known as one of the foremost defensive minds in the NFL. Since being fired, though, no one has hired him.
It’s easy to forget that many believed Zim was precisely what the Vikings franchise needed in the early days. His Bengals had just allowed an average of 19.1 points per game, 5th-best in the NFL. Cincinnati also finished 5th in yards allowed on the ground, holding opponents to an average of 96.5 yards per game.
Leslie Frazier is a great coach, but it was time to move on. The team needed a new direction and vision. Zim’s brash, direct style starkly contrasted with the coach who came before him.
Initially, it led to great success.
Going 7-9 in 2014 was a success, folks. True, the team didn’t get into the postseason to compete for a Super Bowl, but it was a sign of progress. The following season’s 11-5 record seemed to confirm that things were going well, especially since they were a sure-thing (that wasn’t a sure-thing) field goal away from taking down a far superior team in the opening round of the playoffs.
An injury-riddled 2016 season was easy to forgive, especially given the brilliance of the 2017 defense. The team made it to the NFC Championship Game, their best effort since the 2009 season when Brett Favre was the rightful MVP.
What happened next, of course, wasn’t exactly flattering for the surly coach. The team brought in Kirk Cousins; the defense took a step back. Whether those two things are connected is open to debate, but there’s no debating that they occurred at the same time. Minnesota’s record suffered as a result. The last two seasons were particularly bad for Mike Zimmer and the Vikings.
Consider these basic facts to drive the point home. Only the Jets and Texans allowed more yards per game. Only the Jets, Ravens, Commanders, and Seahawks did worse in terms of pass yards allowed. Their end-of-half defense was historically bad, easily the worst in the entire NFL.
Right or wrong, I still assumed Zim would find work. He has been in the NFL for a long time, and he has a lot of connections. He’s a Bill Parcells disciple, and he really has put together some of the best defenses over the past 15 years. As it stands, though, Mike Zimmer remains a free agent. It’s possible he has turned down opportunities, intentionally taking time to rest.
One thing to keep an eye on. Sean Payton – disliked by Vikings fans but liked by Zim – has retired. If he gets a chance to be the head coach of a team next year, would Payton look to Zim as the DC? It wouldn’t be shocking to see Payton and Zim working together heading into the 2023 season.
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