Viktor
Well-known member
- Mar 19, 2019
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I really hope that this is the last year of the Zimmer era.
— Sylvester Jackson
These emails from fans always fascinate me, mostly because it offers the chance to peer into the totality of Zimmer's career in Minnesota.
If we go back a bit, the Vikings were among the league's worst teams in 2013, the year before Zimmer got here, and literally had the league's worst defense that season.
Since then, Zimmer has gone 64-47-1 in seven seasons, and has taken the Vikings to the playoffs three times in seven seasons, a stretch that includes a pair of NFC North titles.
Minnesota has never finished last in the division, and Zimmer has helped mold the Vikings into a team that, most of the time, nobody wants to play against … especially opposing quarterbacks at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Plus, and this is important, the Wilf family does value stability and would prefer not to make big-time changes every few years.
With all that said, the 2021 season is surely an important one for Zimmer and the entire organization. Everyone was frustrated and disappointed with how last year went, and I'd place Zimmer at the top of that list, especially with how the defense performed.
I think Zimmer would be the first to tell you that his team needs to be better in a lot of areas, and the early signs from offseason practices are encouraging.
When I get emails like this, I can't help but think that it probably doesn't help that the Vikings have been in this weird on-again, off-again relationship with the playoffs that is seemingly based on whether or not it's an even or odd-numbered year. (Minnesota missed the dance in 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2020, but made it in 2015, 2017 and 2019).
Because the Vikings are coming off a season where they did not make it, people tend to be a little less patient when it comes to Zimmer's job status. It should be noted, by the way, that he's entering the first season of a three-year contract extension that was signed last summer.
At the risk of rambling along, my main point in all of this is that while there needs to be a bounce back season in 2021, we must look at the entirety of Zimmer's career in Purple.
Have the Vikings reached their ultimate goal under Zimmer? No. But they have arguably been in the top third of the league since he took over.
Zimmer is the last head coach hired in a group of seven that remains with his team.
Bill O'Brien went 52-48 from 2014 to early 2020 with Houston and 2-4 in playoff games. Jim Caldwell was respectable 36-28 (0-2) in playoffs in four seasons with Detroit. The Lions are 14-33-1 in three seasons since letting him go.
Jay Gruden went 35-49-1 and 0-1 in the playoffs with Washington (2014 to part of 2019). Mike Pettine was 10-22 in two seasons with Cleveland, Lovie Smith was 8-24 in Tampa Bay, and Ken Whisenhunt was 3-20 with Tennessee.
The grass may not always be greener on the other side.