The Minnesota Vikings just couldn't seem to get over the hump under Mike Zimmer. They had their success: an NFC Championship Game run and multiple playoff appearances are nothing to sneeze at. However, they just weren't able to take that next step into greatness. Eventually, the team crumbled into nothing more than Wild Card fodder for an NFC contender.
So, what went wrong for the Vikings? Well, according to a former player-turned-coach, the problem lies with Zimmer himself. Terence Newman, a former cornerback for Minnesota who joined the coaching staff revealed Zimmer's problematic temperament. The coach put so much pressure on his players that it turned into a “toxic” work environment. (via GoLongTD.com)
“I think [Zimmer] felt the pressure and he put so much pressure on everybody else around him that there was no way we could succeed,” Newman told Dunne. “We (Vikings) couldn’t win. It was hard to focus on your job when you’re focusing on, ‘OK, if I make a mistake, I’m going to get cussed out.’ That type of environment is tough to work in. Period. I don’t give a shit what you do. It’s hard to work in an environment like that.”
Zimmer's coaching style was similar to Bill Belichick's old-school no-nonsense coaching, where he'd go hard on his players. That style would work for some players, but it required a certain level of success for players to respect the process. The Vikings… didn't get that under Zimmer. That was one of the reasons why young players were so intimidated with their coach. Players would feel too much pressure, knowing they'll be yelled at for any mistake.
Mike Zimmer stepped down from his coaching duties after 2021, citing health issues. With a new coach at the helm in Kevin O'Connell, we'll see if the Vikings correct their course and sail their way to the success they were once accustomed to.
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