Days away from what may be his final game as head coach of the Vikings, Mike Zimmer is expressing pride in his tenure with the team. As NFL.com’s Kevin Patra writes, Zimmer said, “regardless of anything that goes on after the season, I can stand proud”.
The quote comes from an interview the 65-year-old conducted with team broadcaster Paul Allen. "When I walk into a stadium like Lambeau [Field] or I walk into U.S. Bank Stadium and I say to myself, ‘a billion people would love to be sitting here right now and doing this job,'" Zimmer added.
Zimmer was hired in January 2014 to replace Leslie Frazier in what was his first head coaching position. His track record includes an 11-5 record in his second year in charge, earning the team its first NFC North crown in six years, as well as a 13-3 season in 2017 that ended with a loss in the NFC Championship game. It also includes back-to-back losing seasons in 2020 and 2021, and if the Vikings lose on Sunday to the Bears, a year with double-digit losses for the first time in his tenure. Minnesota has one playoff victory in the last four seasons.
Zimmer has 71 career wins as head coach, which ranks him third in franchise history, and he is currently under contract through 2023. However, uncertainty has surrounded his position throughout the season, in which his usually-solid defensive unit ranks 31st in the league allowing over 385 yards per game.
Zimmer is aware of the internal and fan-driven pressure mounting during a roller coaster season including eight one-score losses: “I do think it’s different that people can talk about your job and being let go and things like that and not understanding the effects of all your coaches, effects of all the players, effects of their families and they say it after you lose every week”.
The 7-9 Vikings end the year hosting the 6-10 Bears with many questions to be answered once the offseason begins.
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