Zimmer's Day

Mike Zimmer has hit a lot of career milestones in 2014. It all started on January 15 when he was named the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings. After 35 years in the business, Mike Zimmer finally had his first head coaching job. From there, he had a lot of firsts. First Senior Bowl, first Scouting Combine, and first NFL Draft as the head coach. First free agency as the head coach. He was putting together his team. Finally. For a coach that has always seen the job as a teaching job, it was the OTAs and training camp that excited him the most. His team. His practices. His system. His vision. After 35 years, Mike Zimmer is finally the head coach of an NFL team.

Mike Zimmer has probably thought about this day countless times in the last 35 years. He probably thought that it would have come a whole lot sooner. It should have. It's sad that he nearly gave up his pursuit of a head coaching job last January. Too may rejections. Thankfully, he took one more interview. Hopefully, it was the last interview he'll ever have. The Vikings had their head coach and Zimmer had the job that he should have had about a decade ago.

Zimmer has interviewed for several head coaching jobs over the past few seasons. The Vikings were even his second interview last January. The Tennessee Titans had him in their building first. The Titans hired Ken Whisenhut instead. That last rejection was the one that caused Zimmer to pause. To question whether the pursuit of the job was worth the pain that the rejections brought. It's astonishing that the Titans were only the last of several teams that decided that Zimmer wasn't the coach to lead their team. It's astonishing that there are professional football people out there that can have Zimmer in a room talking football and not leave that room shaking hands with their new football coach. The people that know him best, his players and coaching peers, know that he should have had this shot long ago. Those coaching peers applauded the new Vikings head coach upon his arrival in Mobile for the Senior Bowl last January. That's the sort of respect that Zimmer has always had with his fellow coaches. He has his shot. Finally.

The Mike Zimmer era begins today in St. Louis. He's earned it. He deserves it.

Congratulations Coach.