The Minnesota Vikings parted ways with longtime head coach Mike Zimmer this offseason, replacing him with Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell. According to The Athletic, part of the reason Zimmer fizzled out in Minnesota was his relationship with quarterback Kirk Cousins. Per the report, Zimmer complained about Cousins during coaching meetings, stating that the QB didn't make enough “winning plays” or take the “necessary shots” to help the Vikings get more wins.
Zimmer's relationship with Cousins seems to have split the organization a bit. Some of Zimmer's closest comrades on the coaching staff echoed his sentiments of the QB's shortcomings, while others felt that Zimmer was responsible for worsening the situation, failing to get the most out of his starting quarterback.
Zimmer had been the Vikings head coach for eight years, four of which he had Cousins under center. The team went 72-56 under his tenure but were just 33-31 since Cousins took over as the starting quarterback in 2018. Throughout that time, Zimmer and Cousins failed to develop a strong relationship.
The Vikings remain optimistic that Cousins can help them achieve success, and it seems O'Connell is on the same page in that regard. The franchise will certainly be hoping their quarterback can develop a strong relationship with O'Connell, having failed to do so with Zimmer, as well as at his previous situation in Washington with Jay Gruden.
When O'Connell took the Vikings' job, he made clear that he plans to get the most out of Cousins, something neither Zimmer nor Gruden was able to achieve.
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