Twenty-five minutes of the final practice of training camp was all Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer needed to see before he pulled the team off the field.
No, Zimmer didn’t end the session early because he was pleased. He pulled the plug on practice because he was angry.
According to ESPN, Zimmer hated “everything” about his players’ approach to the final day of work in Mankato and punished them by making every player run a lap before berating them in a team meeting on the field.
“They’d better get better quick, or there’s going to be a lot of heck going on,” Zimmer said, while adding that he’ll “lean on my size 10s” to get the team back into gear.
Tom Pelissero of USA Today tweeted the
Mike Zimmer transcript today is just fantastic. pic.twitter.com/ayJiTcv2Dl
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 13, 2015
” target=”_blank”>transcript from Zimmer’s post-practice press conference.
Mike Zimmer transcript today is just fantastic. pic.twitter.com/ayJiTcv2Dl
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 13, 2015
It was the maddest Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press has ever seen Zimmer, he tweeted, and it was one of the five angriest versions of Zimmer veteran defensive back Captain Munnerlyn has seen.
Captain Munnerlyn said it wasn’t the maddest he’s ever seen Mike Zimmer but that it was “top five.’’
— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) August 13, 2015
Coach Zimmer saved his best for last on the final day of #VikingsCamp.
WATCH: http://t.co/JJStDpuoEw pic.twitter.com/NckrGxGXNz
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) August 13, 2015
Pro Football Talk notes that Matt Asiata was one of many players who vowed to show their support for Zimmer, whose father died Tuesday at the age of 84, by bringing a spirited effort to the practice field. That, per Zimmer’s standards, wasn’t the case.
Zimmer will coach the Vikings-Buccaneers game Saturday night but will miss Monday’s practice at Winter Park in Eden Prairie to be at his father’s funeral. He’s expected to return to the team on Tuesday.
