GM Requests Coming In

How the Vikings' GM interview process may play outPlayoff games and the Rooney Rule will impact the schedule for interviewing general manager candidates.
Beginning discussions can be held virtually, especially with general manager candidates from current playoff teams. In-person meetings are required by an update to the Rooney Rule in October, which mandates at least one in-person interview with an external minority candidate for GM and head coach searches.

That rule remains in place amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy wrote in an email on Friday. The Vikings must interview at least two external minority candidates for each opening.
"We did let teams know that if they are conducting interviews with employees of clubs in the playoffs, that they could consider conducting the interview virtually," McCarthy said. "We would imagine the second interview would be done in person."
General manager candidates can interview around their team's playoff schedule. The Giants have talked to six candidates virtually, including Poles on Thursday. Kansas City hosts Pittsburgh on Sunday night in the AFC wild-card round. There are no timing restrictions on candidates from non-playoff teams. Teams can't block requests to interview if the job opening offers "authority over all personnel decisions," meaning if it's a true GM job like Minnesota's.

Six of the Vikings' eight candidates are on playoff teams, including Ossenfort, who is available through the weekend because his Titans earned a first-round bye.
Rules are different for playoff coaches. They can't interview at the onset of the playoffs unless their team earned a first-round bye like Packers coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, who was scheduled to discuss head-coaching jobs with the Broncos and Jaguars in Green Bay this week, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Because the Chiefs play this weekend, offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy can't interview with other teams about head-coaching openings until after that initial playoff game. The same goes for Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll.
In-person interviews during the NFL divisional playoff round are typically held in the candidate's city. Follow-up interviews can only be done when a candidate's team is either in the bye week before the Super Bowl or out of the playoffs.
There are no timing restrictions on interviewing NFL assistants from teams out of the playoffs, or college coaches.
https://www.startribune.com/how-the-vikings-gm-interview-process-may-play-out/600136084/

@"JustinTime18™" said: Seeing as just about every coordinator and exec has sucked rocks outside of Massachusetts, I will not hold my breath.

Still waiting for Dodds.

Yeah, I find it odd we've heard nothing of Dodds. Only place I have seen him connected to is Chicago.  A candidate with a stellar personnel background should be a requisite for the position.

@"purplefaithful" said: Has anyone bothered to look to see how many teams are looking for GM and HC's this year in total? Wonder if this is a remarkable year with those looking or just average??

Here are the teams that hired both: Jags, Falcons, Texans, Lions
Just GM - Broncos, Panthers and the what the Football Team
Just HC - Chargers, Eagles

Does seem like a lot of turnover the last 2 years at both positions. 

So, 32 teams x 2 positions = 64.
This year is 10 (so far) and last year was 14, so over 2 years a 24/128 or almost 19% turnover rate!!! 

Not many industries with that kind of TO even in the Millionaire Corporate Club
Not sure about years prior and too lazy to look up :)

@"minny65" said:

@"JustinTime18™" said: https://www.espn.com/blog/minnesota-vikings/post/_/id/31623/new-vikings-regime-could-be-breath-of-fresh-air-as-improving-culture-plays-key-role

@"JustinTime18™" said: https://www.espn.com/blog/minnesota-vikings/post/_/id/31623/new-vikings-regime-could-be-breath-of-fresh-air-as-improving-culture-plays-key-role

Couple of things/questions about the article:

1 - I am glad we are using an internal search team for our next GM. The group is very experienced led by Brzezinski plus they immediately put together a good group of candidates to interview.  I think an external search company would spit out all the typical candidates like we see on every blog.  Obviously, I am happy that they are going GM first, who will hire the HC.  

2 - From my experience (I did hire ppl before for 6 figure positions for 7 years) you reach out to your top candidates first of course.  Now it is hard to discern from this list, because we don't really know the order of set interviews dates/times vs initial call date, but this list (below) seems to be in order of all the rumors of who we are looking at.  What I am getting at is their might be a strong preference of who want in that order??  Now some of them could bomb the interview process, culture fit, or maybe their heart is not really into getting the position (happens).  Also, look at the teams that have multiple candidates like the Browns/Eagles, to me that is an indication that if you don't get the primary target that you are even willing to go with an underling of that person. 

"Minnesota will first hire a general manager who will then oversee the hiring of a head coach. The Vikings already have eight confirmed interviews with GM candidates that will take place in the coming days, a list that includes Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (Browns VP of football operations), Brandon Brown (Eagles director of player personnel), Glenn Cook (Browns VP of player personnel), Monti Ossenfort (Titans director of player personnel), Ryan Poles (Chiefs director of player personnel), Catherine Raiche (Eagles VP of football operations), John Spytek (Buccaneers VP of player personnel) and Elliot Wolf (Patriots player personnel consultant)."

So, I think we really want Kwesi and Brown the most but will settle for Cook/Raiche.  
Any thoughts about this "thought" process???  I am curious if others see it this way, as well?  

3 - I know we all expect negative things to come out about Zimmer and even Spelly but for me the culture was way worse then I thought.

"That also goes for how the head coach interacts with his staff. Zimmer had six offensive coordinators in eight seasons, a source of chagrin when pointed out to the former Vikings coach.
Norv Turner resigned midseason in 2016 without much public explanation. John DeFilippo was fired with three games remaining in 2018. Zimmer, a former longtime defensive coordinator, has scoffed at the notion that he’s difficult to work for, but it’s clear, sources told ESPN, that some coaches felt internally that the offensive staff was at times pitted against the defensive staff, especially when the team was losing games.
Days before the Vikings beat the Chargers in Week 10, offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak answered a benign question about Justin Jefferson’s usage and said he needed to get the wide receiver the ball more after he totaled five catches in two back-to-back losses to the Cowboys and Ravens. Jefferson caught nine passes for 143 yards in the 27-20 win at Los Angeles.
Postgame, Zimmer was irritated at Kubiak for stating the obvious, saying the rookie coordinator “shouldn’t be telling that to the media.”
A culture change can be the start for coaches and players to feel empowered. That benefit is especially important for young players. Zimmer’s comments about “not particularly” wanting to see rookie quarterback Kellen Mond play in a no-stakes Week 18 game against the Bears, and that he was aware of how close Jefferson was to setting a single-season franchise receiving record but doesn’t "care about records,” sent the wrong message not only to the public but to the locker room."

@"Waterboy" said:

@"minny65" said:

@"JustinTime18™" said: https://www.espn.com/blog/minnesota-vikings/post/_/id/31623/new-vikings-regime-could-be-breath-of-fresh-air-as-improving-culture-plays-key-role

@"JustinTime18™" said: https://www.espn.com/blog/minnesota-vikings/post/_/id/31623/new-vikings-regime-could-be-breath-of-fresh-air-as-improving-culture-plays-key-role

Couple of things/questions about the article:

1 - I am glad we are using an internal search team for our next GM. The group is very experienced led by Brzezinski plus they immediately put together a good group of candidates to interview.  I think an external search company would spit out all the typical candidates like we see on every blog.  Obviously, I am happy that they are going GM first, who will hire the HC.  

2 - From my experience (I did hire ppl before for 6 figure positions for 7 years) you reach out to your top candidates first of course.  Now it is hard to discern from this list, because we don't really know the order of set interviews dates/times vs initial call date, but this list (below) seems to be in order of all the rumors of who we are looking at.  What I am getting at is their might be a strong preference of who want in that order??  Now some of them could bomb the interview process, culture fit, or maybe their heart is not really into getting the position (happens).  Also, look at the teams that have multiple candidates like the Browns/Eagles, to me that is an indication that if you don't get the primary target that you are even willing to go with an underling of that person. 

"Minnesota will first hire a general manager who will then oversee the hiring of a head coach. The Vikings already have eight confirmed interviews with GM candidates that will take place in the coming days, a list that includes Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (Browns VP of football operations), Brandon Brown (Eagles director of player personnel), Glenn Cook (Browns VP of player personnel), Monti Ossenfort (Titans director of player personnel), Ryan Poles (Chiefs director of player personnel), Catherine Raiche (Eagles VP of football operations), John Spytek (Buccaneers VP of player personnel) and Elliot Wolf (Patriots player personnel consultant)."

So, I think we really want Kwesi and Brown the most but will settle for Cook/Raiche.  
Any thoughts about this "thought" process???  I am curious if others see it this way, as well?  

3 - I know we all expect negative things to come out about Zimmer and even Spelly but for me the culture was way worse then I thought.

"That also goes for how the head coach interacts with his staff. Zimmer had six offensive coordinators in eight seasons, a source of chagrin when pointed out to the former Vikings coach.
Norv Turner resigned midseason in 2016 without much public explanation. John DeFilippo was fired with three games remaining in 2018. Zimmer, a former longtime defensive coordinator, has scoffed at the notion that he’s difficult to work for, but it’s clear, sources told ESPN, that some coaches felt internally that the offensive staff was at times pitted against the defensive staff, especially when the team was losing games.
Days before the Vikings beat the Chargers in Week 10, offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak answered a benign question about Justin Jefferson’s usage and said he needed to get the wide receiver the ball more after he totaled five catches in two back-to-back losses to the Cowboys and Ravens. Jefferson caught nine passes for 143 yards in the 27-20 win at Los Angeles.
Postgame, Zimmer was irritated at Kubiak for stating the obvious, saying the rookie coordinator “shouldn’t be telling that to the media.”
A culture change can be the start for coaches and players to feel empowered. That benefit is especially important for young players. Zimmer’s comments about “not particularly” wanting to see rookie quarterback Kellen Mond play in a no-stakes Week 18 game against the Bears, and that he was aware of how close Jefferson was to setting a single-season franchise receiving record but doesn’t "care about records,” sent the wrong message not only to the public but to the locker room."

One of the best moves a hard ass coach like Zimmerman can do is to let the guard down every so often to reward someone like Jefferson.  If the game is already in hand but you can get Jefferson the record, do so.  He’s obviously a popular teammate and a rising star who can be the face of a franchise.  Unlike Belichick who can throw in the fun factor at times, Zimmerman just seemed unable to do anything but play the hard ass.   That style doesn’t always have a long shelf life nowadays.  

https://973espn.com/nfl-insider-explains-who-made-decision-for-eagles-to-draft-reagor/

@"JustinTime18™" said:

Will Ragatz

@WillRagatz

·11m

The #Vikings have a GM interview with Eagles VP of football operations Catherine Raiche today. The fast-rising Canadian has only been in the NFL since 2019 after getting her start in the CFL/XFL, yet she already holds one of the most important titles in the Philly front office.

@"Waterboy" said:

@"minny65" said:

@"JustinTime18™" said: https://www.espn.com/blog/minnesota-vikings/post/_/id/31623/new-vikings-regime-could-be-breath-of-fresh-air-as-improving-culture-plays-key-role

@"JustinTime18™" said: https://www.espn.com/blog/minnesota-vikings/post/_/id/31623/new-vikings-regime-could-be-breath-of-fresh-air-as-improving-culture-plays-key-role

Couple of things/questions about the article:

1 - I am glad we are using an internal search team for our next GM. The group is very experienced led by Brzezinski plus they immediately put together a good group of candidates to interview.  I think an external search company would spit out all the typical candidates like we see on every blog.  Obviously, I am happy that they are going GM first, who will hire the HC.  

2 - From my experience (I did hire ppl before for 6 figure positions for 7 years) you reach out to your top candidates first of course.  Now it is hard to discern from this list, because we don't really know the order of set interviews dates/times vs initial call date, but this list (below) seems to be in order of all the rumors of who we are looking at.  What I am getting at is their might be a strong preference of who want in that order??  Now some of them could bomb the interview process, culture fit, or maybe their heart is not really into getting the position (happens).  Also, look at the teams that have multiple candidates like the Browns/Eagles, to me that is an indication that if you don't get the primary target that you are even willing to go with an underling of that person. 

"Minnesota will first hire a general manager who will then oversee the hiring of a head coach. The Vikings already have eight confirmed interviews with GM candidates that will take place in the coming days, a list that includes Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (Browns VP of football operations), Brandon Brown (Eagles director of player personnel), Glenn Cook (Browns VP of player personnel), Monti Ossenfort (Titans director of player personnel), Ryan Poles (Chiefs director of player personnel), Catherine Raiche (Eagles VP of football operations), John Spytek (Buccaneers VP of player personnel) and Elliot Wolf (Patriots player personnel consultant)."

So, I think we really want Kwesi and Brown the most but will settle for Cook/Raiche.  
Any thoughts about this "thought" process???  I am curious if others see it this way, as well?  

3 - I know we all expect negative things to come out about Zimmer and even Spelly but for me the culture was way worse then I thought.

"That also goes for how the head coach interacts with his staff. Zimmer had six offensive coordinators in eight seasons, a source of chagrin when pointed out to the former Vikings coach.
Norv Turner resigned midseason in 2016 without much public explanation. John DeFilippo was fired with three games remaining in 2018. Zimmer, a former longtime defensive coordinator, has scoffed at the notion that he’s difficult to work for, but it’s clear, sources told ESPN, that some coaches felt internally that the offensive staff was at times pitted against the defensive staff, especially when the team was losing games.
Days before the Vikings beat the Chargers in Week 10, offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak answered a benign question about Justin Jefferson’s usage and said he needed to get the wide receiver the ball more after he totaled five catches in two back-to-back losses to the Cowboys and Ravens. Jefferson caught nine passes for 143 yards in the 27-20 win at Los Angeles.
Postgame, Zimmer was irritated at Kubiak for stating the obvious, saying the rookie coordinator “shouldn’t be telling that to the media.”
A culture change can be the start for coaches and players to feel empowered. That benefit is especially important for young players. Zimmer’s comments about “not particularly” wanting to see rookie quarterback Kellen Mond play in a no-stakes Week 18 game against the Bears, and that he was aware of how close Jefferson was to setting a single-season franchise receiving record but doesn’t "care about records,” sent the wrong message not only to the public but to the locker room."

One of the best moves a hard ass coach like Zimmerman can do is to let the guard down every so often to reward someone like Jefferson.  If the game is already in hand but you can get Jefferson the record, do so.  He’s obviously a popular teammate and a rising star who can be the face of a franchise.  Unlike Belichick who can throw in the fun factor at times, Zimmerman just seemed unable to do anything but play the hard ass.   That style doesn’t always have a long shelf life nowadays.  

@"Mike Olson" said:

He was here for like 8 years! His name is ZIMMER.

How is it possible that people still call him Zimmerman?

https://zonecoverage.com/2022/minnesota-vikings-news/the-ultimate-guide-to-choosing-which-vikings-gm-candidate-you-want/

That’s a great rundown Oracle. The one on that list who probably fits my preferred personality is Mensa. 
I too come from an investment analysis background and see it fitting well with a GM’s responsibilities. Like Mensa, analytics are important to me, but evidence based decision making is paramount. In my opinion, you need to be able to fuse the two together with your instincts regarding unmeasurable (personality etc) attributes in order to identify the option with the highest likelihood of success that stays within your tolerance of risk. 
Of all the candidates, Raiche is by far the most difficult for me to pin down. With such limited experience/history, I’m having a difficult time understanding why she is even in the discussion. In my mind, they could have included me on the list just as easily as her. I’m interested to learn more about her to figure out what “it factor” is driving the inclusion. 
At the end of the day, the ability to draft stayers is most important to me. I consider it critical to long term success. Overall, Rick eventually improved in this area, but it took him a long time. I don’t think we have that kind of time in today’s NFL.

None of these GM candidates really move the needle for me. It's great that they are lawyers, stock brokers, mathematicians and all this other shit, but to me if you've never really played the game at a high level it makes it different to have that feel for what makes a player great. You can rely on all the analytics in the world but if you don't have a feel for the game then it's mostly meaningless. Raiche is interviewing on her gender because the Wilfs are in progressive Minnesota and they want to show they are playing the game, not because she is a great GM candidate. Anybody who doesn't see that is blind. I'd take a John Lynch type over any of the candidates we have chosen to interview thus far. Really surprised Luis Riddick hasn't gotten more interest from teams. 

@"supafreak84" said: None of these GM candidates really move the needle for me. It's great that they are lawyers, stock brokers, mathematicians and all this other shit, but to me if you've never really played the game at a high level it makes it different to have that feel for what makes a player great. You can rely on all the analytics in the world but if you don't have a feel for the game then it's mostly meaningless. Raiche is interviewing on her gender because the Wilfs are in progressive Minnesota and they want to show they are playing the game, not because she is a great GM candidate. Anybody who doesn't see that is blind. I'd take a John Lynch type over any of the candidates we have chosen to interview thus far. Really surprised Luis Riddick hasn't gotten more interest from teams. 

@"Waterboy" said:

One of the best moves a hard ass coach like Zimmerman can do is to let the guard down every so often to reward someone like Jefferson.  If the game is already in hand but you can get Jefferson the record, do so.  He’s obviously a popular teammate and a rising star who can be the face of a franchise.  Unlike Belichick who can throw in the fun factor at times, Zimmerman just seemed unable to do anything but play the hard ass.   That style doesn’t always have a long shelf life nowadays.  

@"JR44" said:

@"Waterboy" said:

One of the best moves a hard ass coach like Zimmerman can do is to let the guard down every so often to reward someone like Jefferson.  If the game is already in hand but you can get Jefferson the record, do so.  He’s obviously a popular teammate and a rising star who can be the face of a franchise.  Unlike Belichick who can throw in the fun factor at times, Zimmerman just seemed unable to do anything but play the hard ass.   That style doesn’t always have a long shelf life nowadays.  

How was letting Jefferson break the record at a time in the game when it was not appropriate to throw doing him any favors, especially considering he would be doing it in 17 games.  Jefferson himself said he didn't want to break it that way.  Good for Zimmer for not giving in to the crowd and playing the game the right way.  

@"Mike Olson" said:

@"Waterboy" said:

@"minny65" said:

@"JustinTime18™" said: https://www.espn.com/blog/minnesota-vikings/post/_/id/31623/new-vikings-regime-could-be-breath-of-fresh-air-as-improving-culture-plays-key-role

@"JustinTime18™" said: https://www.espn.com/blog/minnesota-vikings/post/_/id/31623/new-vikings-regime-could-be-breath-of-fresh-air-as-improving-culture-plays-key-role

Couple of things/questions about the article:

1 - I am glad we are using an internal search team for our next GM. The group is very experienced led by Brzezinski plus they immediately put together a good group of candidates to interview.  I think an external search company would spit out all the typical candidates like we see on every blog.  Obviously, I am happy that they are going GM first, who will hire the HC.  

2 - From my experience (I did hire ppl before for 6 figure positions for 7 years) you reach out to your top candidates first of course.  Now it is hard to discern from this list, because we don't really know the order of set interviews dates/times vs initial call date, but this list (below) seems to be in order of all the rumors of who we are looking at.  What I am getting at is their might be a strong preference of who want in that order??  Now some of them could bomb the interview process, culture fit, or maybe their heart is not really into getting the position (happens).  Also, look at the teams that have multiple candidates like the Browns/Eagles, to me that is an indication that if you don't get the primary target that you are even willing to go with an underling of that person. 

"Minnesota will first hire a general manager who will then oversee the hiring of a head coach. The Vikings already have eight confirmed interviews with GM candidates that will take place in the coming days, a list that includes Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (Browns VP of football operations), Brandon Brown (Eagles director of player personnel), Glenn Cook (Browns VP of player personnel), Monti Ossenfort (Titans director of player personnel), Ryan Poles (Chiefs director of player personnel), Catherine Raiche (Eagles VP of football operations), John Spytek (Buccaneers VP of player personnel) and Elliot Wolf (Patriots player personnel consultant)."

So, I think we really want Kwesi and Brown the most but will settle for Cook/Raiche.  
Any thoughts about this "thought" process???  I am curious if others see it this way, as well?  

3 - I know we all expect negative things to come out about Zimmer and even Spelly but for me the culture was way worse then I thought.

"That also goes for how the head coach interacts with his staff. Zimmer had six offensive coordinators in eight seasons, a source of chagrin when pointed out to the former Vikings coach.
Norv Turner resigned midseason in 2016 without much public explanation. John DeFilippo was fired with three games remaining in 2018. Zimmer, a former longtime defensive coordinator, has scoffed at the notion that he’s difficult to work for, but it’s clear, sources told ESPN, that some coaches felt internally that the offensive staff was at times pitted against the defensive staff, especially when the team was losing games.
Days before the Vikings beat the Chargers in Week 10, offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak answered a benign question about Justin Jefferson’s usage and said he needed to get the wide receiver the ball more after he totaled five catches in two back-to-back losses to the Cowboys and Ravens. Jefferson caught nine passes for 143 yards in the 27-20 win at Los Angeles.
Postgame, Zimmer was irritated at Kubiak for stating the obvious, saying the rookie coordinator “shouldn’t be telling that to the media.”
A culture change can be the start for coaches and players to feel empowered. That benefit is especially important for young players. Zimmer’s comments about “not particularly” wanting to see rookie quarterback Kellen Mond play in a no-stakes Week 18 game against the Bears, and that he was aware of how close Jefferson was to setting a single-season franchise receiving record but doesn’t "care about records,” sent the wrong message not only to the public but to the locker room."

One of the best moves a hard ass coach like Zimmerman can do is to let the guard down every so often to reward someone like Jefferson.  If the game is already in hand but you can get Jefferson the record, do so.  He’s obviously a popular teammate and a rising star who can be the face of a franchise.  Unlike Belichick who can throw in the fun factor at times, Zimmerman just seemed unable to do anything but play the hard ass.   That style doesn’t always have a long shelf life nowadays.  

He was here for like 8 years! His name is ZIMMER.

How is it possible that people still call him Zimmerman?

@"Waterboy" said:

@"Mike Olson" said:

@"Waterboy" said:

@"minny65" said:

@"JustinTime18™" said: https://www.espn.com/blog/minnesota-vikings/post/_/id/31623/new-vikings-regime-could-be-breath-of-fresh-air-as-improving-culture-plays-key-role

@"JustinTime18™" said: https://www.espn.com/blog/minnesota-vikings/post/_/id/31623/new-vikings-regime-could-be-breath-of-fresh-air-as-improving-culture-plays-key-role

Couple of things/questions about the article:

1 - I am glad we are using an internal search team for our next GM. The group is very experienced led by Brzezinski plus they immediately put together a good group of candidates to interview.  I think an external search company would spit out all the typical candidates like we see on every blog.  Obviously, I am happy that they are going GM first, who will hire the HC.  

2 - From my experience (I did hire ppl before for 6 figure positions for 7 years) you reach out to your top candidates first of course.  Now it is hard to discern from this list, because we don't really know the order of set interviews dates/times vs initial call date, but this list (below) seems to be in order of all the rumors of who we are looking at.  What I am getting at is their might be a strong preference of who want in that order??  Now some of them could bomb the interview process, culture fit, or maybe their heart is not really into getting the position (happens).  Also, look at the teams that have multiple candidates like the Browns/Eagles, to me that is an indication that if you don't get the primary target that you are even willing to go with an underling of that person. 

"Minnesota will first hire a general manager who will then oversee the hiring of a head coach. The Vikings already have eight confirmed interviews with GM candidates that will take place in the coming days, a list that includes Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (Browns VP of football operations), Brandon Brown (Eagles director of player personnel), Glenn Cook (Browns VP of player personnel), Monti Ossenfort (Titans director of player personnel), Ryan Poles (Chiefs director of player personnel), Catherine Raiche (Eagles VP of football operations), John Spytek (Buccaneers VP of player personnel) and Elliot Wolf (Patriots player personnel consultant)."

So, I think we really want Kwesi and Brown the most but will settle for Cook/Raiche.  
Any thoughts about this "thought" process???  I am curious if others see it this way, as well?  

3 - I know we all expect negative things to come out about Zimmer and even Spelly but for me the culture was way worse then I thought.

"That also goes for how the head coach interacts with his staff. Zimmer had six offensive coordinators in eight seasons, a source of chagrin when pointed out to the former Vikings coach.
Norv Turner resigned midseason in 2016 without much public explanation. John DeFilippo was fired with three games remaining in 2018. Zimmer, a former longtime defensive coordinator, has scoffed at the notion that he’s difficult to work for, but it’s clear, sources told ESPN, that some coaches felt internally that the offensive staff was at times pitted against the defensive staff, especially when the team was losing games.
Days before the Vikings beat the Chargers in Week 10, offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak answered a benign question about Justin Jefferson’s usage and said he needed to get the wide receiver the ball more after he totaled five catches in two back-to-back losses to the Cowboys and Ravens. Jefferson caught nine passes for 143 yards in the 27-20 win at Los Angeles.
Postgame, Zimmer was irritated at Kubiak for stating the obvious, saying the rookie coordinator “shouldn’t be telling that to the media.”
A culture change can be the start for coaches and players to feel empowered. That benefit is especially important for young players. Zimmer’s comments about “not particularly” wanting to see rookie quarterback Kellen Mond play in a no-stakes Week 18 game against the Bears, and that he was aware of how close Jefferson was to setting a single-season franchise receiving record but doesn’t "care about records,” sent the wrong message not only to the public but to the locker room."

One of the best moves a hard ass coach like Zimmerman can do is to let the guard down every so often to reward someone like Jefferson.  If the game is already in hand but you can get Jefferson the record, do so.  He’s obviously a popular teammate and a rising star who can be the face of a franchise.  Unlike Belichick who can throw in the fun factor at times, Zimmerman just seemed unable to do anything but play the hard ass.   That style doesn’t always have a long shelf life nowadays.  

He was here for like 8 years! His name is ZIMMER.

How is it possible that people still call him Zimmerman?

I got him confused with Gary Zimmer our old OT.   Honestly, I'm not sure how I did that one.  lol

@"JR44" said:

@"Waterboy" said:

One of the best moves a hard ass coach like Zimmerman can do is to let the guard down every so often to reward someone like Jefferson.  If the game is already in hand but you can get Jefferson the record, do so.  He’s obviously a popular teammate and a rising star who can be the face of a franchise.  Unlike Belichick who can throw in the fun factor at times, Zimmerman just seemed unable to do anything but play the hard ass.   That style doesn’t always have a long shelf life nowadays.  

How was letting Jefferson break the record at a time in the game when it was not appropriate to throw doing him any favors, especially considering he would be doing it in 17 games.  Jefferson himself said he didn't want to break it that way.  Good for Zimmer for not giving in to the crowd and playing the game the right way.  

@"Hawkvike25" said:

@"supafreak84" said: None of these GM candidates really move the needle for me. It's great that they are lawyers, stock brokers, mathematicians and all this other shit, but to me if you've never really played the game at a high level it makes it different to have that feel for what makes a player great. You can rely on all the analytics in the world but if you don't have a feel for the game then it's mostly meaningless. Raiche is interviewing on her gender because the Wilfs are in progressive Minnesota and they want to show they are playing the game, not because she is a great GM candidate. Anybody who doesn't see that is blind. I'd take a John Lynch type over any of the candidates we have chosen to interview thus far. Really surprised Luis Riddick hasn't gotten more interest from teams. 

Louis Riddick hasn't been involved with an NFL team since 2013 so I'm wondering if that ship has sailed for him?