The countdown continues as fans anxiously await who the next head coach of the Minnesota Vikings will be.
Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman hopes to hire a coach before college football’s Senior Bowl on Jan. 25, and he’ll be heading to Phoenix, Arizona to conduct a pair of interviews with Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles and Browns defensive coordinator Ray Horton this week, according to ESPN.
The latest report says the Vikings want to interview Bengals coordinators Jay Gruden and Mike Zimmer.
Four teams requested permission to interview Jay Gruden shortly after CIN loss last night, sources said – Skins, Vikings, Lions and Titans
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) January 6, 2014
#Titans and #Vikings are pushing to interview Mike Zimmer quickly. Who knows if this’ll be the year. But interest is very real.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 6, 2014
Last year, reports said the Dolphins found Zimmer too blunt and honest for a head coaching job. Pro Football Talk says Gruden is more likely to get a promotion than Zimmer. Gruden, though, has been criticized because Cincinnati has failed to put up points in playoffs under Gruden’s offense.
Jay Gruden as offensive coordinator: Three playoff games, 33 points. And, now, four interviews. What a league…
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) January 6, 2014
With the NFL’s Wild Card weekend now in the books, the Vikings can extend their coaching search by interview assistant coaches of the Saints, Eagles, Packers, 49ers, Chargers, Bengals, Colts and Chiefs – all of whom played over the weekend.
If Minnesota wants to interview an assistant coach for a team that won this weekend (Saints, 49ers, Chargers and Colts), they’ll have to get them done this weekend or wait until the coach’s team’s playoff run ends.
The Star Tribune did a profile on 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman, who is getting plenty of interest around the league.
Seattle coordinators Darrell Bevell and Dan Quinn are also on the Vikings’ radar.
