12-08-2019, 02:35 PM
Mike Zimmer was on the podium bobbing, weaving and swatting aside all questions he didn’t want to answer when the twinkle in his eye suggested he knew his well-honed NFL head coaching stubbornness has just won another tug-of-words with the media.
“You know,” he said with a smile, “I’m a six-year veteran at this thing.”
Indeed, he is. And that, believe it or not, makes the 63-year-old Vikings coach eighth in seniority among active head coaches. Among NFC coaches, Zimmer is now fourth as he takes his Vikings into Sunday’s game against Detroit at U.S. Bank Stadium.
“That,” Zimmer said later, “is crazy.”
With Carolina sacking Ron Rivera — its all-time leader in wins and a Super Bowl participant just four years ago — this week, only Bill Belichick (20), Sean Payton (14), Mike Tomlin (13), John Harbaugh (12), Pete Carroll (10), Jason Garrett (10) and Andy Reid (seven) have survived longer. And Garrett sits upon a seriously hot seat with the talented Cowboys floundering away at 6-7.
Zimmer — an inherent worrywart even with his .603 winning percentage, two division titles and a trip to the NFC Championship Game — was reluctant at first to sit down the with the Star Tribune for this story.
“It’s bad luck,” he said. “Like a football coach buying a house.”
Then he brought up his six-year run of good luck, mentioning ownership, General Manager Rick Spielman, assistant GM George Paton, an in-sync coaching staff and a talented roster. If someone else in town hadn’t already trademarked it, you’d have sworn Zimmer was going to talk about everyone rowing a boat in the same direction
http://www.startribune.com/with-six-seas...565932552/
“You know,” he said with a smile, “I’m a six-year veteran at this thing.”
Indeed, he is. And that, believe it or not, makes the 63-year-old Vikings coach eighth in seniority among active head coaches. Among NFC coaches, Zimmer is now fourth as he takes his Vikings into Sunday’s game against Detroit at U.S. Bank Stadium.
“That,” Zimmer said later, “is crazy.”
With Carolina sacking Ron Rivera — its all-time leader in wins and a Super Bowl participant just four years ago — this week, only Bill Belichick (20), Sean Payton (14), Mike Tomlin (13), John Harbaugh (12), Pete Carroll (10), Jason Garrett (10) and Andy Reid (seven) have survived longer. And Garrett sits upon a seriously hot seat with the talented Cowboys floundering away at 6-7.
Zimmer — an inherent worrywart even with his .603 winning percentage, two division titles and a trip to the NFC Championship Game — was reluctant at first to sit down the with the Star Tribune for this story.
“It’s bad luck,” he said. “Like a football coach buying a house.”
Then he brought up his six-year run of good luck, mentioning ownership, General Manager Rick Spielman, assistant GM George Paton, an in-sync coaching staff and a talented roster. If someone else in town hadn’t already trademarked it, you’d have sworn Zimmer was going to talk about everyone rowing a boat in the same direction
http://www.startribune.com/with-six-seas...565932552/