The Minnesota Vikings made the decision to part ways with head coach Mike Zimmer on Monday. The Vikings' 2021 season was a letdown, with Minnesota missing out on the playoffs after finishing 8-9. While the team will begin searching for a new head coach, players are still adjusting to the change set to take place, and one player in particular is looking forward to a shift in culture. Linebacker Eric Kendricks didn't hold back when discussing Zimmer's departure, leaving some eye-opening comments via TheVikingsWire.

When discussing Zimmer's firing from the organization, Kendricks revealed that he and the ex-Vikings head coach didn't have a particularly strong relationship. In fact, Kendricks described Zimmer as implementing a fear-based culture within the organization, something the linebacker is glad to see exit alongside the 65-year-old.

“No matter what your role is on the staff, you having a voice and being able to communicate things you think could facilitate wins. I think just having that voice, no matter how big your role is—it’s important to listen up and take each other’s opinions into account. I don’t think a fear-based organization is the way to go.”

Kendricks was drafted by the Vikings in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft, Zimmer's second year in charge of the Vikings. Over the past seven years, Kendricks has clearly grown less fond of the culture that has developed under Zimmer's watch. The veteran linebacker has seen the Vikings' highs and lows during the Zimmer era, culminating in back-to-back losing seasons and the head coach's subsequent firing.

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Across eight years with the Vikings, Zimmer logged a 72-56-1 record through 129 games. He made the playoffs in three seasons, posting a 2-3 record in the postseason. The Vikings' best season in the Zimmer era came in 2017 when Case Keenum led the team on a remarkable run to the NFC Championship.

Now that his tenure with the team has come to an end, it's interesting to hear players express their genuine opinions on both Zimmer and the culture he built in Minnesota. Kendricks' comments were revealing, and perhaps shine some light onto what went wrong at the end of Zimmer's tenure with the franchise.