The Minnesota Vikings officially fired Mike Zimmer and General Manager Rick Spielman on Monday morning, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Pelissero says team owners Zygi and Mark Wilf will host a team meeting to address the moves at 9 a.m. Monday. The Wilfs issued a statement, thanking Zimmer and Spielman for their dedication while saying “we believe it is time for new leadership to elevate our team so we can consistently contend for championships.”
Zimmer came to Minnesota in 2014, who years after Spielman in 2006, taking over as GM in 2012. Zimmer was tasked with rebuilding a defense that finished 31st in yards and last in points allowed under Leslie Frazier in 2013.
Fueled by his top-ten defense, Zimmer went on to post the third-best winning percentage (.562) and third-most victories (72) in franchise history. He also led the Vikings to two NFC North titles and an appearance in the 2017 NFC Championship Game.
But Zimmer’s tenure will be known more for the things he couldn’t control. Adrian Peterson missed the final 15 games of the 2014 season amid a child abuse allegations and quarterback Teddy Bridgewater suffered a severe leg injury prior to the 2016 season.
Zimmer was able to piece things together despite the issues, ultimately averaging 10 wins per season during his first four years in Minnesota.
After guiding the Vikings to the doorstep of their first Super Bowl appearance since 1976, Zimmer’s tenure appeared to be taking off with the arrival of Kirk Cousins. But continued turnover at the offensive coordinator position and inconsistent offensive line play coupled with the defense faltering the past two seasons proved to be too much to overcome.
Everything came to a head over the 2020 and 2021 seasons, where the Vikings went a combined 15-18 and missed the playoffs both years.
The Vikings enter the offseason approximately $11 million over the salary cap and will have several difficult decisions to make regarding some of the veterans on the team.
While the team will need to fill both roles quickly, it marks the start of an intriguing offseason in Minnesota.
