Changes

One of the most frustrating Minnesota Vikings seasons in memory came to a resounding close yesterday. The Wilf family decided to fire head coach Mike Zimmer and general manager Rick Spielman. Change felt inevitable. Over recent weeks, Vikings fans had become so committed to change that a riot probably would’ve been the result if Zimmer and/or Spielman weren’t gone soon after the final game. After consecutive losing seasons, the Vikings are heading in a new direction. 

I have mixed feelings about these changes. If I were motivated to rank my favorite Vikings coaches, Mike Zimmer would have the spot behind Bud Grant. I was thrilled with Zimmer’s hiring in 2014. I always felt that he and Spielman had the Vikings pointed in the right direction. I always felt good about them in the building and the team that they put on the field. For all of Zimmer’s eight years with the team, I was proud to be a Minnesota Vikings fan. I hadn’t always felt that under some of the coaches that preceded him. The only time that I felt my pride waver was due to the team’s pathetic vaccination rate. Zimmer did all that he could to change that. Pride doesn’t equal wins and wins are all that matter in the NFL. Three playoff appearances in eight years isn’t good enough. Consecutive losing seasons isn’t good enough. Over eight years, Zimmer won 16 more games than he lost. That didn’t get the Vikings into the playoffs often enough. When I hoped for continued patience by the Wilf family, in particular, and the fans, in general, I often thought of the coaching career of Hall of Famer Bill Cowher. The Rooney family showed tremendous patience in their coach. Since the late 1960s, patience has been their policy. It took Cowher 14 years to win a title. A Super Bowl appearance after four years probably gave the Rooney’s some confidence in their patience. Zimmer had the Vikings in the NFC Championship in his fourth season. Cowher had losing seasons in his seventh and eighth seasons leading the Steelers. Sound familiar? Despite some career similarities, a Cowher-led Steelers team rarely missed the playoffs. Zimmer-led Vikings teams didn’t make the playoffs often enough. 

I liked Mike Zimmer and Rick Spielman as the Vikings head coach and general manager. Still do. I believed in their efforts to win a championship. Still do. Mark Wilf said yesterday that the Vikings are in better shape today than they were in 2014. That’s due to the work of two men that are now without a job. As much as I like, respect, and appreciate Zimmer and Spielman, moving in a different direction feels like the right thing. Change feels right. Perhaps the thrill of the unknown is what drives those feelings. Who knows? I do know that I’m excited to see the coach and general manager that leads the Minnesota Vikings to their first Super Bowl title.