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In his recent interview with Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, former Vikings coach and current Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer pulled few punches.
He fired a few of them at former Vikings G.M. Rick Spielman.
While there surely were rough moments from 2014 through 2020, given Zimmer’s blunt, direct, Parcellsian nature, Zimmer focused on the 2021 draft. The Vikings had a quarterback, but Spielman was studying quarterbacks — without telling Zimmer.
“I walk in before the draft and Rick is watching quarterback interviews from the combine,” Zimmer told Craig. “He hadn’t told me anything. Normally, he always kept me abreast of everything. And he and I were always good.”
Zimmer confirmed something we’d heard as the 2021 draft began: “The first round, Rick tried to trade up for Justin Fields, who hasn’t done anything.”
The Bears eventually moved from No. 20 to No. 12 to snatch Fields. And it’s unfair and inaccurate for Zimmer to say Fields “hasn’t done anything.” He’s a very dangerous runner. He’s developing as a passer. He could end up being the starter in Pittsburgh, at some point this season.
After Spielman failed to land Fields, Spielmen picked quarterback Kellen Mond in round three. He was the first of four third-round picks, along with linebacker Chazz Surratt, offensive lineman Wyatt Davis, and defensive end Patrick Jones II.
“When he picked Mond, I walked out of the room,” Zimmer told Craig. “I left the building. I didn’t even talk to [Spielman] on the phone.”
“Rick said [the next day], ‘You mad at me?’” Zimmer told Craig. “I said, ‘Yeah, I think you took four backups when we had guys there I thought were starters.’ From that time on, it just kind of got worse between us. And I’m not saying nothing was my fault. I’m sure there were plenty of things that were my fault.”
Zimmer’s lack of interest in having Mond showed.
“People made a big deal out of me saying after [he took three snaps in a 37-10 loss to the…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/mike-zimmer-rick-spielman-rift-140643102.html
Author : ProFootball Talk on NBC Sports
Publish date : 2024-09-01 14:06:43
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