In a recent interview with Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, former Vikings head coach and current Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer pulled no punches.
Zimmer’s Candid Comments on Spielman
Zimmer aimed several sharp blows at former Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman. While there certainly were turbulent moments from 2014 to 2020, Zimmer, renowned for his blunt, direct, and no-nonsense Parcellsian nature, zeroed in on the 2021 draft. Despite already having a quarterback, Zimmer was blindsided when he discovered Spielman studying quarterback prospects—without informing him.
“I walk in before the draft and Rick is watching quarterback interviews from the combine,” Zimmer revealed to Craig. “He hadn’t told me anything. Normally, he always kept me informed. And he and I were always good.”
Zimmer confirmed a rumor we’d heard as the 2021 draft commenced:
“In the first round, Rick tried to trade up for Justin Fields, who hasn’t done anything.”
A Missed Opportunity: Fields to the Bears
The Chicago Bears eventually traded up from No. 20 to No. 12 to snatch Fields. However, it’s unfair and inaccurate for Zimmer to claim Fields “hasn’t done anything.” Fields is a dynamic runner and is making strides as a passer. He could very well become the starter in Pittsburgh this season.
When Spielman’s efforts to land Fields fell through, he selected quarterback Kellen Mond in the third round. He was the first of four third-round picks, alongside linebacker Chazz Surratt, offensive lineman Wyatt Davis, and defensive end Patrick Jones II.
“When he picked Mond, I walked out of the room,” Zimmer confided to Craig. “I left the building. I didn’t even talk to [Spielman] on the phone.”
The Fallout: Tensions Rise
“Rick asked me the next day, ‘You mad at me?'” Zimmer recounted. “I said, ‘Yeah, I think you chose four backups over guys who could have been starters.’ From that point on, things just deteriorated between us. And I’m not saying nothing was my fault. I’m sure there were plenty of things that were my fault.”
Zimmer’s indifference toward Mond was palpable.
“People made a big deal out of me saying after [Mond took three snaps in a 37-10 loss to the Packers] that I didn’t need to see more of him,” Zimmer explained. “I saw him every day in practice. Maybe I was omniscient or something. He played three NFL snaps and two were bad snaps.”
Self-Fulfilling Prophecies and New Beginnings
But such attitudes can become self-fulfilling prophecies. Zimmer clearly didn’t want Mond. If Zimmer’s frustration with Spielman spilled over to Mond, the young quarterback would feel it eventually. Without a solid plan—or any plan—for Mond’s development, Zimmer’s prophecy could very well come true.
Spielman, on the other hand, seems to be taking the high road in response to Zimmer’s critique. When contacted for a comment, he declined.
While Zimmer might have preferred for Spielman to resist drafting a quarterback in 2021, the reality was that the Vikings were already entangled in an annual re-evaluation of quarterback Kirk Cousins. Despite not unloading on Cousins to Craig, Zimmer was not a Cousins fan. Wouldn’t he have welcomed someone new?
A New Chapter for the Vikings
Two seasons later, the Vikings turned a new leaf at head coach. Kevin O’Connell has done reasonably well so far, but the cycle of one good year followed by a disappointing one seems to persist. And Spielman’s successor, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, is still utilizing draft capital on players who aren’t sticking around.
If Zimmer’s rants teach us anything, it’s that Mark and Zygi Wilf have moved away from the mindset of “just good enough” being sufficient. The firing of both Zimmer and Spielman was a stark illustration of this shift. With contracts for O’Connell and Adofo-Mensah only extending through 2024 at the earliest, Zimmer’s words cast a long shadow over the current regime, serving as a potent reminder of how swiftly fortunes can change in the NFL.
