DAILY CLIPS

SUNDAY, JULY 26, 2020

LOCAL NEWS: Sunday, July 26, 2020

Star Tribune

Mike Zimmer's contract extension reinforces his long-term approach By Andrew Krammer https://www.startribune.com/zimmer-s-contract-extension-reinforces-his-long-term-approach/571908542/

Dalvin Cook expected to report for Vikings training camp after all By Andrew Krammer https://www.startribune.com/dalvin-cook-expected-to-report-tuesday-to-vikings-camp-per-mike-zimmer/571906332/

Pioneer Press

Vikings’ , 64, ‘blessed’ to get contract extension considering ‘my age’ By Chris Tomasson https://www.twincities.com/2020/07/25/vikings-mike-zimmer-blessed-to-have-contract-extension-taking-him-into-his-late-60s/

Mike Zimmer says Dalvin Cook will report Tuesday to Vikings camp but there’s still some drama By Chris Tomasson https://www.twincities.com/2020/07/25/mike-zimmer-says-dalvin-cook-will-report-tuesday-to-vikings-camp-but-theres-still- some-drama/

The Athletic

With new contract in hand, Mike Zimmer is right where he wants to be By Chad Graff https://theathletic.com/1951897/2020/07/25/mike-zimmer-vikings-contract-extension-right-where-he-wants-to-be/

Skor North

Dalvin Cook’s agent says his client never talked to Mike Zimmer about training camp By Judd Zulgad https://www.skornorth.com/2020/07/dalvin-cooks-agent-says-his-client-never-talked-to-mike-zimmer-about-training-camp/

Mike Zimmer on free agent DE Everson Griffen: “I’d love to have him back” By Judd Zulgad https://www.skornorth.com/2020/07/mike-zimmer-on-free-agent-de-everson-griffen-id-love-to-have-him-back/

Mike Zimmer on new deal: “I always felt like this was going to get done” By Judd Zulgad https://www.skornorth.com/2020/07/mike-zimmer-on-new-deal-i-always-felt-like-this-was-going-to-get-done//

Purple Insider

Takeaways from Mike Zimmer's pre-camp Zoom call with TC media By Matthew Coller https://purpleinsider.substack.com/p/takeaways-from-mike-zimmers-pre-camp

NATIONAL NEWS: Sunday, July 26, 2020

ESPN

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer says Dalvin Cook told him he will report to camp, but agent denies it By Courtney Cronin https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/29537075/vikings-coach-mike-zimmer-says-dalvin-cook-told-report-camp-agent-denies-it

CBS Sports

Dalvin Cook plans to report to Vikings training camp, will not hold out for new contract By Cody Benjamin https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/dalvin-cook-plans-to-report-to-vikings-training-camp-will-not-hold-out-for-new-contract/

Associated Press

Zimmer says Cook told him he’d report to Vikes camp on time By Dave Campbell https://apnews.com/034c54989b6584b5b5a7ee17daf913cb

Maven Media

Dalvin Cook to Report to Training Camp Next Week, Per Mike Zimmer By Will Ragatz https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/news/dalvin-cook-report-camp-next-week-mike-zimmer

50 Days Until Vikings Football: Eric Wilson is a Fantastic No. 3 Linebacker By Will Ragatz https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/news/50-days-vikings-football-eric-wilson-no-3-linebacker

MULTIMEDIA NEWS: Sunday, July 26, 2020

Zimmer: This Is My Team and These Are My Guys By Vikings Entertainment Network https://www.vikings.com/video/zimmer-this-is-my-team-and-these-are-my-guys

GMFB: Are The Vikings Being Slept On As NFC Contenders? By NFL Network https://www.vikings.com/video/gmfb-are-the-vikings-being-slept-on-as-nfc-contenders

What about Dalvin Cook? By WCCO http://mms.tveyes.com/PlaybackPortal.aspx?SavedEditID=800d2335-e16a-4518-a915-50276dcae794

Zimmer “Humbled” to Sign Contract Extension By KARE http://mms.tveyes.com/PlaybackPortal.aspx?SavedEditID=6709e529-ceaa-4e89-a4a2-8134100ea21e

Vikings’ Questions Answered By KSTP http://mms.tveyes.com/PlaybackPortal.aspx?SavedEditID=6709e529-ceaa-4e89-a4a2-8134100ea21e

VIKINGS ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK: Sunday, July 26, 2020

Presser Points: Zimmer Grateful to Keep 'Taking Swings' with Vikings By Lindsey Young https://www.vikings.com/news/mike-zimmer-contract-extension-grateful-to-stay-with-team

NFL Officially Cancels 2020 Preseason Games By Vikings.com https://www.vikings.com/news/2020-nfl-preseason-schedule-canceled-games

PUBLICATION: Star Tribune DATE: 7/26/20

Mike Zimmer's contract extension reinforces his long-term approach

By Andrew Krammer

A long-term outlook was one of Mike Zimmer's priorities once his agent started the process of his three-year contract extension. Zimmer wanted to be signed through at least the 2023 season, after which he'll turn 68, to increase the chances of ending his career with the Vikings. He added Saturday he has not yet determined how long he'll coach.

"That was very important to me, partly because of my age," Zimmer said via video conference Saturday, a day after finalizing his new contract. "If I go two more years, I'll be 66 or something. My chance of being a head coach somewhere else would be not as good. So, I wanted to be here with the Vikings. I wanted to be here with the group we've put together."

Tying the knot took some long talks, according to Zimmer, who acknowledged the process dragged out longer than he expected. Andrew Miller, the team's new chief operating officer, handled negotiations, which did not pick up steam until after the NFL draft in late April, when the pandemic started shrouding the season.

"I'm not the most patient guy. It took a while to get started," Zimmer said. "Time gets closer and closer, you get antsy and want to get something done. They did, too. They wanted to get something done. We had some hard negotiations there, and some of the parts of the contract took a little longer than we anticipated. There wasn't any time where I didn't feel like it was going to get done."

This Vikings team, in Zimmer's seventh year in Minnesota, might also require a long-term outlook.

Zimmer turned Saturday to mapping out the team's camp schedule, which could not be finalized until Friday's agreement between the NFL and NFLPA on key issues, including camp structure. Meetings remain virtual until players register two negative coronavirus tests, taken three days apart. Even in-person sessions will be limited in capacity to, for instance, an offensive group meeting of about 40. Teamwide meetings will remain virtual.

Zimmer is focused on quickly developing a young roster with 15 draft picks. Every NFL team is limited to 14 padded practices until the regular season. Without preseason games, the Vikings will push the intensity of those practices, according to Zimmer, including creating more game-like situations. The first padded practice can be held Aug. 17.

"Number one, we're going to have live contact," Zimmer said. "Our younger guys against our better guys and try to evaluate those players in those situations."

Zimmer said he's also focused on finding ways for players to bond, since many will be meeting each other in person for the first time this week.

"Trying to get some team chemistry, I think, is going to be important as well," he said. "So, we're very fortunate to have so much space in [TCO Performance Center] that we can have some meetings that aren't virtual."

Running back Dalvin Cook is expected to report to camp Tuesday, according to Zimmer, after threatening to continue his holdout amid contract negotiations. Zimmer said Saturday he'd heard directly from Cook about the running back's intentions, which led Cook's agent, Zac Hiller, to deny hours later in a statement that Cook had spoken to Zimmer about camp. While Cook didn't share his intentions with Zimmer, he did with his position coach, according to NFL Media, and is expected to report after all.

More roster uncertainty awaits Zimmer, who acknowledged the challenge of losing three starting cornerbacks this offseason. Mike Hughes, who has appeared in 20 games with five starts, is the Vikings' most experienced player at that position.

This Vikings season will be unlike any other for Zimmer, but he has dealt with plenty of adversity in the past.

"My first year, I had my running back [Adrian Peterson] suspended in the second game. Nobody knew that was going to happen," Zimmer said. "Teddy [Bridgewater] blows his knee out. [Sam] Bradford, you know. Everson [Griffen] misses a game. There's so many things that happen that kind of callous you.

"My eye, missing the game, the eight surgeries," Zimmer continued. "When [players] get a guy hurt, they understand that's part of the game, and they'll understand if a guy misses two weeks because he tests positive for COVID."

PUBLICATION: Star Tribune DATE: 7/26/20

Vikings finalize three-year contract extension for head coach Mike Zimmer

By Andrew Krammer

Dalvin Cook is expected to report to Vikings training camp on Tuesday, as head coach Mike Zimmer said earlier Saturday, despite Cook’s agent denying Zimmer’s claim hours later.

During a press conference about his recent three-year contract extension, Zimmer said he was told “by [Cook]” that the Vikings running back would end a brief holdout and report on time for camp. Cook’s agent, Zac Hiller, responded Saturday night.

“First, congrats to coach Zimmer on his well-earned contract extension,” Hiller said in a statement to ESPN. “However, Dalvin has not spoken to him in regards to reporting to camp. We are unsure why this was said. I hope Dalvin can continue to play a major role in the Vikings future success.”

However, Cook instead told his position coach, who relayed the message to Zimmer, that the running back would report to camp without a new contract, according to NFL Media.

If Cook chose not to report to Vikings camp on time, he’d risk losing an accrued season toward free agency. Without four accrued seasons, Cook would be a restricted (not unrestricted) free agent in 2021.

PUBLICATION: Pioneer Press DATE: 7/26/20

Vikings’ Mike Zimmer, 64, ‘blessed’ to get contract extension considering ‘my age’

By Chris Tomasson

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer isn’t ready to say how much longer he wants to coach, but he’s not planning to step away any time soon.

Zimmer, 64, signed a three-year contract extension Friday, taking him through the 2023 season. On Saturday, he said it was important to get an extension of that length because he doesn’t want to be trying to get another job in his late 60s.

“We felt like (a three-year extension) was very, very important to me, partly because of my age,” Zimmer said on a conference call. “If I go one more year (on an extension), I’ll be like 66 or something. My chance of being a head coach somewhere else would probably be not as good, so I wanted to be here with the Vikings.”

After the Vikings finished 8-7-1 and failed to make the playoffs in 2018, Zimmer had one year left on his contract before agreeing to a one-year extension in February 2019. He had more leverage this time for a longer deal considering the Vikings improved in 2019 to 10-6 and a had a playoff victory, 26-20 in overtime at New Orleans.

Zimmer said in January he wanted another extension and to remain long term with the Vikings. The deal took longer than perhaps expected to get done.

“There were a lot of issues,” said Zimmer, who has gone 57-38-1 in six Minnesota seasons, and three times has made the playoffs. “But sometimes it just takes awhile to work out the details on contracts. There was so much uncertainty in the offseason about what was going to happen with the (coronavirus) pandemic that it just took a little longer, but in the long run, it all worked out, and … I’m very blessed.”

Zimmer said having Andrew Miller take over in January for Kevin Warren as the Vikings’ chief operating office played a role in the delay. Miller, who handled negotiations, had to get up to speed in his new job.

“There wasn’t any time where I didn’t feel like it was going to get done,” Zimmer said.

Zimmer said he was “very excited” and “humbled” to get the extension. He said the Vikings must “get to where we need to be, which is a Super Bowl.”

If Zimmer fulfills the life of his contract, he would be with the Vikings for 10 seasons. That would tie Dennis Green, who coached from 1992-2001, for the second-longest tenure in team history behind Bud Grant, who coached 18 seasons, from 1967-83 and in 1985.

“There’s no question from our ownership on down that (Zimmer) is the right head coach for this organization to get us to our ultimate goal, and that ultimate goal is winning the Super Bowl,” Vikings general manager Rick Spielman said.

Spielman has one year left on his contract. Zimmer said he hopes Spielman will be signed to a similar-length extension, something that is certainly possible.

For now, the Vikings have training camp to worry about against the backdrop of the pandemic. Rookies, quarterbacks and selected other players reported last Thursday; all other veterans will report Tuesday.

With on-field spring drills cancelled, the Vikings will be seeing their 15 draft picks on the field for the first time this week. With that in mind and with the four preseason games being cancelled, Zimmer said the biggest challenge will be getting young players ready.

“Without preseason games, we’re going to have to set up situations throughout practice where, number one, we’re going to have live contact,” Zimmer said. “We’ve going to have to evaluate guys with some of our younger guys against our better guys and try to evaluate those players in those situations.”

If there is a rookie who not ready to contribute by the start of the season, Zimmer said the Vikings “might have to let a second-year guy go” instead if that rookie has more upside.

Zimmer is well aware that roster situations could be affected by any players who might test positive.

“We understand the rules of this world are completely different,” he said. “It’s going to be ever changing. The season’s going to be ever changing. Our main focus right now is to keep these players safe and figure out a way to have a great season.” PUBLICATION: Pioneer Press DATE: 7/26/20

Mike Zimmer says Dalvin Cook will report Tuesday to Vikings camp but there’s still some drama

By Chris Tomasson

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said Saturday that Dalvin Cook will report Tuesday to training camp, but there’s still some drama surrounding the star running back.

Zimmer said on a conference call that Cook told him he will be at camp on the day veterans report. ESPN reported last month that a source said Cook might not report to camp unless he got a “reasonable” contract extension offer.

“I was told he would,” Zimmer said about Cook reporting. When asked who he was told by, Zimmer said, “By him.”

However, later in the day, Cook’s agent, Zac Hiller, told ESPN that Cook didn’t tell Zimmer he would be reporting Tuesday. However, Hiller didn’t say whether Cook will show up.

“Dalvin has not spoken to (Zimmer) in regards to reporting to camp,” Hiller said. “We are unsure why this was said.”

NFL Media then reported that Cook told running backs coach Kennedy Polamalu he will be in camp, and that message was relayed to Zimmer. NFL Media reported Zimmer texted with Cook on Saturday night, and the Vikings believe he will show up Tuesday.

Cook is on the books in 2020 for a base salary of $1.331 million in the final year of his four-year rookie deal, and is seeking a lucrative multi-year extension. Holding out, though, would not seem to be a prudent move since, if Cook doesn’t report for the start of camp, the new collective bargaining agreement would call for him to become a restricted free agent rather than an unrestricted free agent next spring should he not get a new deal.

GRIFFEN’S SITUATION Zimmer didn’t rule out the possibly that Everson Griffen could return to the Vikings.

Zimmer said he didn’t have any specific updates on Griffen’s status, but that he would welcome back the star defensive end. Griffen, a free agent, said in March he would leave the Vikings after 10 seasons but he remains unsigned.

“I’d love to have him back,” Zimmer said. “He’s always been one of my guys. If that happens, it would be great. But I don’t know where that’s at right now.”

After it surfaced Wednesday that Zimmer was on the verge of signing a three-year contract extension, he said Griffen texted to offer congratulations.

BRIEFLY Zimmer was glad to see practice squads expanded to 16 players this season. The limit was 10 last season and had been expanded to 12 before the coronavirus pandemic hit. “That’s going to help (young players) moving forward,” he said. … With preseason games cancelled, Zimmer said the Vikings will do more on-field drills in which players aren’t being given immediate instructions in order to help them “figure out” things themselves. PUBLICATION: The Athletic DATE: 7/26/20

With new contract in hand, Mike Zimmer is right where he wants to be

By Chad Graff

Mike Zimmer took a moment during a video chat with reporters Saturday to offer a brief reminder of the turbulent times he’s endured at the helm of the Vikings.

There was his inaugural season, of course, when the star running back was suspended. There was his third season, the one where the team was supposed to surge among the league’s best, when his favorite quarterback suffered such a gruesome knee injury that he nearly needed amputation. There were too many eye surgeries (eight, Zimmer said), including one that kept him from the sideline of a game and another that prevented him from going blind. All of that makes no mention of the season where a 5-0 start ended with an 8-8 record, the time one starting quarterback was replaced with a backup who had a miraculous spell, or the time a star wide receiver straight up skipped practice.

So, yeah, a month after Zimmer turned 64, it was at least worth wondering how much longer he’d want to do this. He’s never been fired, an astounding feat over multiple decades in an industry where the grass always seems greener on the other side. He’s been confronted with a hard-to-manage situation in just about each of his six seasons as a head coach. He’s been the third-oldest coach in the NFL since 2018, though he recently dropped a spot on that list thanks to 67-year-old Bruce Arians returning this season to coach the .

But the way Zimmer negotiated in a trying few months that netted him a three-year extension as the leader of the Vikings shows Zimmer is far from done. The league may have changed — and his job as head coach may have too in recent years. But Zimmer wants to coach for years to come.

“I feel great,” Zimmer said. “I love being around the players and being out on the field. I love game-planning and doing all the things you have to do to get ready for the season. When it gets to that time (when the contract ends in 2023), we’ll all make a decision. Either I’m coaching really good or I’m coaching really bad. We’ll decide how I’m feeling and go from there. But this is a great opportunity that we have to continue to keep taking swings at what we need to swing at.”

The way Zimmer fought for this contract illustrates that he’s not slowing down any time soon. The Vikings had initially approached Zimmer about simply adding a year to his contract, as they had done the previous year. But Zimmer refused. He didn’t want a one-year extension. That would make it easier for the Vikings to fire him. And it’s not being fired that Zimmer fears most. It’s not getting another chance.

Zimmer had to work hard for this opportunity as a head coach. Plenty of teams passed him over, fearful that his impatient, brash nature wouldn’t jell with all the responsibilities of running a team. So even if he left the Vikings at the end of next season with a winning record, Zimmer was afraid owners again wouldn’t take a chance on him. Who hires a coach in his mid-60s?

“When we started talking about negotiations, we felt like it was very, very important to me, partly because of my age,” Zimmer said. “If I go one more year, I’ll be 66 or something. My chance of being a head coach somewhere else would probably be not as good, so I wanted to be here with the Vikings. I wanted to be here with the group that we’ve put together, the front office, the coaches and the players, so that was important to me that we were able to do that. Sometimes that takes a little bit of negotiations. I think it was the perfect scenario for us.”

It did take a while to get to this point, Zimmer conceded. The Athletic reported earlier this month that Zimmer was growing frustrated by the fact that training camp was approaching and he was still without an extension.

In truth, Zimmer said, he’s not known for his patience. And then the talks kicked off later than expected with the Vikings’ COO Andrew Miller occupied with plenty of other aspects amid a global pandemic.

So, yes, Zimmer’s deal took a while to get done. But it wasn’t because Zimmer didn’t still want to coach.

“Time gets closer and closer, you get antsy and want to get something done,” Zimmer said. “They did too. They wanted to get something done. We had some hard negotiations there and some of the parts of the contract that took a little longer than we anticipated. There wasn’t any time where I didn’t feel like it was going to get done. It just took a little bit longer based on some outside things that happened.”

Rick Spielman hasn’t yet signed a matching contract, though he’s expected to, and Zimmer said Saturday that he hopes Spielman does. But the afternoon belonged to Zimmer, who regaled with stories of his six years as head coach, ones he hopes are just the precursor of what’s to come as he nears a decade with the Vikings.

When last season ended after a whirlwind seven days that began with a thrilling victory in New Orleans and finished with embarrassment in the Bay Area, Zimmer knew he wasn’t done yet. He wanted to keep coaching for years to come. Now he knows he can.

“The fans have been outstanding to me,” Zimmer said. “I love the culture in the state of Minnesota. I love the way that they’ve opened their arms to myself and our foundation, and hopefully, we can continue to build on this and get to where we need to be, which is a Super Bowl.” PUBLICATION: Skor North DATE: 7/26/20

Dalvin Cook’s agent says his client never talked to Mike Zimmer about training camp

By Judd Zulgad

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said Saturday afternoon that Dalvin Cook had told him he would report for the start of training camp — and end his offseason holdout — even though the running back did not have a new contract. On Saturday evening, Cook’s agent said no such conversation between Zimmer and the running back had taken place.

So what’s going on here? That’s a good question and one that won’t be answered until Vikings’ veterans report Tuesday for training camp in Eagan. Cook is entering the fourth and final season of his rookie deal and stopped participating in the Vikings’ “virtual” offseason program in June.

Schefter reported at that time that Cook would no longer take part in any team-related activities until and unless he received a “reasonable deal,” according to a source. “Without a reasonable extension, he will not be showing up for camp or beyond,” the source told Schefter in June.

Cook is only due to make $1.3 million this season in the final year of his rookie contract and wants wants a new deal. However, he has good reason to show up for the start of camp. Under the terms of the NFL’s new collective bargaining agreement, if Cook misses the opening day of camp he would not get credit for the fourth season he needs to become an unrestricted free agent. That means, if a new deal isn’t done, Cook would be a restricted free agent after the 2020 season, making it easy for the Vikings to keep him from the payday he wants.

The Vikings did make a contract offer this offseason to Cook, according to ESPN’s Courtney Cronin, but it was for less than $10 million per season. The Cook camp, not surprisingly, rejected it after initially proposing a deal that was in the same range to what Carolina gave running back Christian McCaffrey. McCaffrey signed a four-year extension this spring that averages $16 million a season. More recently, the signed running back Derrick Henry to an extension that averages $12.5 million per season and is for four years. That’s probably about as well as Cook is going to do, if the Vikings would even go that high.

Cook’s value comes in the fact that he not only is a top running back, but also has the ability to catch passes out of the backfield and is effective in pass protection. The Vikings’ concerns are likely based on how short the career of most NFL running backs are and the fact that Cook has yet to play a full 16-game season in his first three years.

It should be noted that in his conversation with Schefter on Saturday, Hiller never said Cook was not going to show up for camp, only that Cook never talked to Zimmer about reporting for camp.

PUBLICATION: Skor North DATE: 7/26/20

Mike Zimmer on free agent DE Everson Griffen: “I’d love to have him back”

By Judd Zulgad

When Everson Griffen voided the final three years of his contract with the Vikings in February, it appeared the defensive end’s time with the team was finished and it was expected he would sign a free agent deal elsewhere.

Only that has not happened.

The coronavirus pandemic ended up impacting free agency in a big way and several productive players remain on the market. That includes the 32-year-old Griffen, who was a fourth-round pick of the Vikings in 2010 and has 74.5 sacks in 10 seasons. So is there a chance that Griffen could end up back with the Vikings? Coach Mike Zimmer, who helped Griffen develop into a standout defensive end, did not close the door on that happening when asked Saturday.

“I don’t know,” Zimmer said. “I know that he texted me the other day telling me congratulations (on Zimmer’s contract extension) and things like that. I’d love to have him back. He’s always been one of my guys, so if that happens that’d be great. I don’t know where that’s at right now.’’

The Vikings two starting defensive ends — Griffen and Danielle Hunter — combined for 22.5 sacks last season, with Griffen getting eight of them. The Vikings are expected to give Ifeadi Odenigbo a chance to replace Griffen at right end. Odenigbo, a seventh-round pick out of Northwestern in 2017, had seven sacks last season.

The Vikings’ rookies and quarterbacks reported to training camp on Thursday in Eagan and the full squad is due to report on Tuesday.

PUBLICATION: Skor North DATE: 7/26/20

Mike Zimmer on new deal: “I always felt like this was going to get done”

By Judd Zulgad

A year ago, Mike Zimmer opened the season with a contract that gave the Vikings coach little to no security. Zimmer would work under an agreement that ran through the 2020 season, making it very easy for ownership to sever ties with him if the Vikings missed the playoffs for a second consecutive year.

That did not happen. In Kirk Cousins’ second season as the Vikings’ quarterback, the team went from a disappointing 8-7-1 finish in 2019 to a 10-6 record that earned Minnesota a wild card berth and included an upset victory in New Orleans before a one-sided loss at San Francisco.

What was interesting was that it still took several months of negotiations before the Vikings committed to Zimmer. That commitment turned out to be a substantial one. Zimmer signed a three-year extension this week that won’t kick in until after he’s coached under the season of his contract that already remained. Zimmer, who turned 64 on June 5, is now under contract until he turns 67.

“When we started talking about the negotiations, we felt like (it) was very important to me,” Zimmer said of getting a multiyear contract instead of another one-year extension. “Partly because of my age. If I go one more year and I’m 66 or something (when I leave) my chance of being a head coach somewhere else would probably not be as good. I wanted to be here with the Vikings, I wanted to be here with the group that we’ve put together. The front office, the coaches and the players. So that was important to me that we were able to do that and sometimes that takes a little bit of negotiation. … In the long run, I think it was the perfect scenario for us.”

Zimmer, who spoke to the media on a videoconference call Saturday afternoon, said negotiations were handled by his agent and Vikings chief operating officer Andrew Miller, who took over for Kevin Warren last August. But Zimmer also made it sound as if the brakes were put on negotiations this spring, in part because of the coronavirus pandemic that wiped out in-person OTAs and minicamps and will now impact training camp. That will include no NFL preseason games.

“We decided, let’s wait until after the draft and see how that goes from there,” Zimmer said of the talks. “Then time gets closer and closer. You get antsy and you want to get something done. (Ownership) did, too, they wanted to get something done and we had some hard negotiations there and some of the parts of the contract that took a little bit longer than we anticipated. But there really wasn’t any time I didn’t feel like it was going to get done. I always felt like this was going to get done, and it just took a little bit longer based on some of the outside things that happened.”

Zimmer has taken the Vikings to the playoffs three times in six seasons, including to the 2017 NFC championship game. With little time to prepare for this season, Zimmer will be leading a team that has lost five defensive starters, nine players from the defensive side of the ball total and will have 15 draft picks coming into training camp. Rookies and quarterbacks reported to camp on Thursday and the rest of the team is due to report on Tuesday.

The feeling is that Zimmer might have wanted more time on his contract because the 2020 season could be, in part, a rebuilding one for the Vikings. If he had only been given a one-year extension through 2021, it would have been easy to fire him if this season was a disappointment. Zimmer, not surprisingly, isn’t buying into thinking he has the luxury of time.

“I’m not very patient, so I don’t know if I’m going to worry about that too much,” he said. “We’re going to try and get these guys ready to go very, very fast. Patience probably isn’t my best virtue.”

Vikings general manager Rick Spielman, who likely also will be getting a contract extension that matches Zimmer’s, if he hasn’t already, said: “There’s no question from our ownership on down that he is the right head coach for this organization to get us to our ultimate goal and that ultimate goal is winning the Super Bowl.”

As for how long he would like to coach, Zimmer said he is just focused on the now.

“I don’t want to make any decisions like that,” he said. “I feel great. I love being around the players, I love going out on the field, I love game planning and doing all the things that you’ve got to do to get ready for the season. I think that when it gets to that time we’ll all make a decision. Either I’m coaching really good or I’m coaching really bad, and then we’ll decide how I’m feeling and go from there. This is a great opportunity that we have to continue to keep taking swings at what we need to swing at.” PUBLICATION: Purple Insider DATE: 7/26/20

Takeaways from Mike Zimmer's pre-camp Zoom call with TC media

By Matthew Coller

Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer joined the Twin Cities media on a Zoom call Saturday afternoon to discuss his contract extension and the matters facing the team heading into this week’s opening of camp. Here’s the key takeaways from his 30-minute chat….

Why his contract took so long

Just two weeks ago, Zimmer was reportedly “irked” by his lack of contract extension. Going back to the end of the 2019 regular season, there were rumblings that the team could trade him to Dallas or let him play out his deal. Instead they have locked in Zimmer to a contract that takes him through 2023.

The Vikings’ head coach did insinuate that he would have preferred if things to have progressed faster but said he never felt like he' would be coaching this year without future job security.

“I'm not the most patient guy,” Zimmer said. “It took a while to get started. [Vikings COO] Andrew Miller was new here and he was doing the negotiations with my agent and then we decided to wait after the draft and see how it goes from there. Time gets closer and closer, you get antsy and want to get something done. They did too. They wanted to get something done. We had some hard negotiations there and some of the parts of the contract that took a little longer than we anticipated. There wasn't any time where I didn't feel like it was going to get done. It just took a little bit longer based on some outside things that happened.”

We can only speculate over the nature of disagreement but the length of the contract may have been a sticking point. If the Wilfs initially felt like they wanted to take a wait-and-see approach and have another pressure-cooked, one- year extension, then Zimmer won out by getting them to bend to another long-term deal.

Dalvin Cook’s status

In mid-June, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Dalvin Cook would be holding out of any further team activities as he awaited a new contract. While he does not yet have a deal, Zimmer said that Cook will be showing up at camp.

“I was told he would be,” Zimmer said.

Told by who?

“By him.”

Whether that’s true or not, we’ll see. After Derrick Henry signed an extension with the Titans, the deal should be pretty straightforward — depending on whether the Vikings want to sign him now considering the salary cap will go down next season.

If Cook fails to show, he will lose an accrued season and become an RFA after next year. That is an outcome he absolutely does not want.

In the past players without extensions like Stefon Diggs and Xavier Rhodes have come to camp and their contracts were finalized shortly after that. Maybe that will be the case with Cook as well. But if camp goes along and he approaches the season without a new contract, who knows what happens.

Most likely scenario: We’re talking to Cook on a Zoom call on the first day players report about his new contract.

Wanting Everson Griffen back

The Vikings have a bunch of different players who could end up rotating into jobs on the defensive line this year. Ifeadi Odenigbo is the presumed starting defensive end across from Danielle Hunter but sub packages are wide open. That is, unless the Vikings bring back Everson Griffen, who is still a free agent.

Griffen announced that he was leaving Minnesota earlier this offseason but it appears he misread the market, believing that he could land another big contract somewhere else. Now there is a bevy of free agent edge rushers on the market, opening the door for the Vikings to re-sign him on the cheap (which is all they can afford since Anthony Harris is playing on the franchise tag.

Zimmer said he’d love to have Griffen back.

“He texted me the other day telling me congratulations and things like that,” Zimmer said. “I’d love to have him back. He’s always been one of my guys, so if that happens that’d be great. I don’t know where that’s at right now.’’

Is this a new era on defense?

If Griffen doesn’t return, we’re going to be looking at a bevy of new starters on defense. It will have the feel of a page turning over in the Zimmer era with staples of his first six years like Griffen, , Xavier Rhodes and Trae Waynes gone.

But it doesn’t appear that Zimmer is looking at it that way.

“I know everybody is saying how it's big turnover and all that,” Zimmer said. “We have lost some guys, but I think sometimes in these situations you forget about the guys you still have: Danielle Hunters, Pro Bowler, Anthony Barr, Pro Bowler, Eric Kendricks, a Pro Bowler, Harrison Smith, a Pro Bowler. We've got two really good safeties. We've got a good defensive line. We added Michael Pierce. We've got a really good group of linebackers. Obviously the corners are going to be younger, and that's our job to bring them along as fast as we can. That'll be refreshing.”

Zimmer will have his work cut out with the new group of corners, whose jobs are all up in the air heading into camp.

Will the offense be different with Gary Kubiak in charge?

Changes on defense have been discussed much more than on the offensive side but technically speaking there will be a new for the fifth time since 2014. Not to mention they will be without Stefon Diggs after he was traded to Buffalo.

But the Vikings will be running the same offense with nearly everyone aside from Diggs from the 2019 squad back this year.

“It's not going to change hardly at all. Gary was very, very influential in everything that went about offensively,” Zimmer said. “I know Gary has some ideas that he has put in this offseason but I don't think much difference when you look at our offense or the play calls. I think this is important for us, they're talking about defense we have some turnover but offensively we're a veteran group now. We've added some guys who have helped us but it will look very, very similar. As far as Kirk, him being in the same system for two years, it's all in front of him.”

Zimmer talked at the NFL Combine about the need to have better pass protection. He alluded to that again on Saturday.

“If we can continue to improve on other areas that we need to improve on with some of the protection things and some of the running game things we can all improve on the sky is the limit,” he said.

It will be interesting to see whether the Vikings get creative with the offensive line in order to improve the pass protection. Could Riley Reiff move inside? Could Ezra Cleveland start right away? Could Rashod Hill or Oli Udoh get a chance? We won’t know until those padded practices begin.

Evaluating rookies despite lack of padded practices/preseason games

Speaking of which, one of the biggest challenges faced by coaching staffs this year will be the lack of padded practices and no preseason games. It sounds like Zimmer has a plan.

“We’re going to have to be innovative in the ways we try to evaluate the players,” Zimmer said. “First, we have to try to find out if they know what to do. Then we got to figure out, OK, you know what to do, now show us you know how to do it the way we want you to do it. Those two things are going to be really important moving forward.”

We got a little glimpse into the evaluation thought process from Zimmer on Saturday. He said that upside will rule the day when they make roster decisions.

“We might have to do that with some of the players here, we might have to let a second-year guy go because [while] this guy might not be great in week 1, week 2, week 3, maybe week 7 he’s really going to come up,” Zimmer said. “We’re going to have to look at the long-term picture of all these things.”

The preseason generally means very little toward personnel decisions in the NFL these days but Zimmer said he will miss having hands-off evaluation moments.

“A lot of times in practice the coaches stand back there and ‘move to your left move to your right, do this,’ during preseason games they have to be out there and do it on their own,” Zimmer said. “So we’re to have to get these guys where the coaches aren’t on the field. Figure out how to go play this thing. Understand the game situations. We practice them all the time here with practice but there’s things that come up in games that you can teach the players about even during the course of the game.”

As far as the bubble players go, Zimmer said that an expanded practice squad will mitigate the impact of missing preseason opportunities for third and fourth stringers fighting for jobs.

Going through a very bizarre situation with COVID

Few coaches have the Weird Situation resume that Zimmer can boast. From Adrian Peterson’s suspension to Teddy Bridgewater and ;s injuries to eye surgeries to changes in offensive coordinators and on and on, it’s been a crazy few years. Now in Year 7, he will work around a worldwide pandemic.

“There’s so many things that happen that kind of callous you to whatever happens,” Zimmer said. “Like coach Parcells says all the time, they’re not going to cancel the game so you got to go out and figure out how to win it. That’s kind of what we have to do….Like with all the things with the players, you know, when they get a guy hurt they understand that’s part of the game and they’ll understand if a guy misses two weeks because he tests positive for COVID then somebody has to come in and, again, they’re not going to cancel games so we have to go in and figure out how to win.”

Connecting with players on social justice issues

Zimmer had an important moment this offseason after George Floyd was killed when he told the team that he had their back with social justice measures. The Vikings have numerous active players in the community, a group of whom met with the chief of police in Minneapolis after Floyd’s murder. Zimmer said that the team has not made a decision on kneeling for the anthem, as we have seen many baseball players begin to do this year, but he will be behind the players’ efforts.

“Our guys have been in the forefront of all these things, of trying to create change, of trying to create a better environment for really everyone,” Zimmer said. “They've been able to speak up and talk and communicate with one another, and we're going to continue to do that, as well. We've had several of these calls and several of these virtual meetings on it. As far as the kneeling, and all those things, I think we'll address that another time. We have not really talked about any of those kinds of deals, but we want to do what we can to help. I think everybody understands there needs to be a lot of change made, and I'm all for it." PUBLICATION: ESPN DATE: 7/26/20

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer says Dalvin Cook told him he will report to camp, but agent denies it

By Courtney Cronin

MINNEAPOLIS -- Dalvin Cook's agent said the running back has not talked with coach Mike Zimmer about reporting to camp and ending his holdout despite what Zimmer said during a news conference earlier Saturday.

On a conference call to address the three-year extension Zimmer was awarded this week, the Vikings' coach said the running back told him he will show up at training camp on Tuesday, when veterans are set to report.

But Cook's agent, Zac Hiller, said that conversation did not happen.

"First, congrats to Coach Zimmer on his well-earned extension," Hiller told ESPN's Adam Schefter. "However, Dalvin has not spoken to him in regards to reporting to camp. We are unsure why this was said. I hope Dalvin can continue to play a major role in the Vikings' future success."

The NFL Network later reported on Saturday that Cook actually told Vikings running backs coach Kennedy Polamalu that he plans to report to training camp, but Hiller said that wasn't the case.

"Dalvin and Coach Polamalu speak often as they have a great relationship. Dalvin has never mentioned to him anything in regards to reporting to camp," Hiller told Schefter. "I'm not sure where the miscommunication is. I hope Dalvin plays a major role in the Vikings' future success."

Cook is set to make $1.3 million in 2020. In June, the running back's camp announced that Cook will hold out until he receives a "reasonable" contract extension. A new deal for the running back has yet to be reached.

New language in the NFL's collective bargaining agreement would hinder Cook if he were to not report on the mandated date or within the grace period given to players at the start of camp. Per the CBA, Cook would not receive an accrued season toward free agency if he does not show up to camp on time and would become a restricted free agent.

Cook's 1,654 yards from scrimmage last season was ninth in the NFL. PUBLICATION: CBS Sports DATE: 7/26/20

Dalvin Cook plans to report to Vikings training camp, will not hold out for new contract

By Cody Benjamin

In early June, reports surfaced that Dalvin Cook would not participate in any part of the Minnesota Vikings' offseason -- including training camp or beyond -- until he received a "reasonable" contract extension. Now, with the official start of training camp days away, the star running back plans to report on time and, thus, prepare for the 2020 season without a long-term deal.

Coach Mike Zimmer told reporters Saturday that Cook himself informed the team he'd be arriving at camp this week.

It's not necessarily a surprising revelation considering the NFL's new collective bargaining agreement comes down hard on holdouts. If Cook fails to report to camp, he'll sacrifice an accrued season toward free agency, not to mention permanently lose money from holdout fines, which in previous years could be refunded in the event of a new contract between teams and holdouts.

Still, the news bodes well for the Vikings, who still at some point figure to make the former second-round draft pick one of the game's highest-paid running backs. Despite Cook's injury history, the Florida State product is the clear centerpiece of Zimmer's offense -- a ground-and-pound approach that allows quarterback Kirk Cousins to thrive in play-action situations. Internally, he's also a well-liked ambassador of the organization, the kind of homegrown, no- nonsense standout general manager Rick Spielman is primed to pay.

A Pro Bowler in 2019 when he topped 1,600 yards from scrimmage, Cook is entering the final season on his four- year, $6.53 million rookie contract. He's set to count just over $2 million against the Vikings' salary cap in 2020. Reports earlier this offseason indicated Minnesota offered the running back an extension averaging under $10 million per year, which Cook allegedly deemed "disrespectful" for a player of his caliber. PUBLICATION: Associated Press DATE: 7/26/20

Zimmer says Cook told him he’d report to Vikes camp on time

By Dave Campbell

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings are expecting running back Dalvin Cook to report on time for training camp, coach Mike Zimmer said Saturday.

Cook has begun the final year of his rookie contract. The 2019 pick took a break from the virtual offseason program last month, seeking a new deal, but Zimmer said on a video conference call to discuss his contract extension that Cook told him he’d be present in Minnesota next week. Veterans are scheduled to arrive Tuesday for coronavirus testing.

Cook’s agent, Zac Hiller, told ESPN later Saturday that his client has not spoken to Zimmer about reporting to camp.

Cook, a second-round draft pick in 2017, would delay his eligibility for unrestricted free agency by a year if he were to hold out from training camp based on a provision in the new collective bargaining agreement. Cook will make a base salary of slightly more than $1.3 million this season. He had 1,135 rushing yards and 519 receiving yards in 14 games last year. PUBLICATION: Maven Media DATE: 7/26/20

Dalvin Cook to Report to Training Camp Next Week, Per Mike Zimmer

By Will Ragatz

Vikings running back Dalvin Cook will report to training camp next week, according to a reliable source: himself. Head coach Mike Zimmer relayed that information on Saturday during a press conference focused on his recent contract extension.

“I was told he would be,” Zimmer said. “By him.”

So, it appears Cook will be ending his holdout from team activities that was announced in early June. That’s good news for the Vikings, who rely heavily on the rushing and pass-catching ability of their star back.

Despite Cook’s threat of continuing the holdout until he received a “reasonable” contract extension, he never had much leverage; a new provision in the Collective Bargaining Agreement made it very financially risky for Cook to fail to report to training camp. Had he done so, he would’ve been subject to daily fines and would’ve risked not accruing a year of service, meaning he would’ve been a restricted free agent next offseason.

Cook will once again take his spot at the top of the Vikings’ backfield depth chart, backed up by Alexander Mattison, Mike Boone, and Ameer Abdullah.

It’s unclear whether Cook will receive an extension soon or if he will play out the final season of his rookie contract and become an unrestricted free agent in 2021.

Vikings rookies reported to camp on Thursday. The rest of the roster will report on Tuesday. PUBLICATION: Maven Media DATE: 7/26/20

50 Days Until Vikings Football: Eric Wilson is a Fantastic No. 3 Linebacker

By Will Ragatz

As we count down the days until the Vikings' opener against the Packers on September 13th, InsideTheVikings will be previewing every single player on the roster. The amount of days remaining corresponds with the jersey number of the player being examined on that day. Today is July 25th, and there are 50 days until kickoff for the 2020 regular season. Thus, it's time to take a look at an athletic linebacker.

Countdown to Vikings-Packers on September 13th: 50 Days

Player Previews: Eric Wilson (No. 50, Linebacker) USATSI_13615826_168388404_lowres (1) College: Cincinnati Drafted: 2017 UDFA NFL experience: Three seasons Age: 25 (Turns 26 in September) Size: 6'1", 230 2019 stats: 62 tackles, 6 TFL, 3.0 sacks, 1 FR Career stats: 112 tackles, 10 TFL, 5.0 sacks, 1 FR, 1 FF

It flew under the radar this offseason, but don't neglect the importance of the Vikings placing a restricted free agent tender on linebacker Eric Wilson. Having him back on a one-year deal worth just $3.26 million is a big deal for the Vikings' base 4-3 defense, as Wilson is a highly athletic player who has improved in each of his three NFL seasons. He will once again play an important role in 2020 as a rotational player, a key special teams contributor, and the primary backup to Eric Kendricks and Anthony Barr when the Vikings are in nickel.

Wilson, like so many other Vikings, took a winding path to the NFL. A three-star recruit from the suburbs of Detroit, he committed to Northwestern to begin his college career. But after redshirting for a year in Evanston, Wilson decided to leave the program and transfer to Cincinnati. He sat out for another year due to transfer rules before finally playing in 2014. Over the next three seasons, Wilson racked up 261 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, and six forced . He was named first team All-AAC in 2016 as a fifth-year senior.

At 6'1", 230, Wilson is undersized for the linebacker position, which likely contributed to him going undrafted in 2017 even after putting up great numbers at Cincinnati's pro day. The Vikings, who have done very well in undrafted free agency in recent years, scooped him up after the draft and have reaped the rewards of doing so.

As a rookie, Wilson played in all 16 games on special teams, with fellow rookie Ben Gedeon operating as the team's No. 3 linebacker. Over the past two seasons, Gedeon has dealt with some injuries and Wilson – who has a more modern skillset – has taken over that role. He played 336 defensive snaps in 2018 and 379 last year, all while continuing to be a full-time special teams ace. Wilson has been productive despite playing only a third of the time, accumulating 104 tackles, ten tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks, and ten QB hits over those two years.

In 2019, Wilson's 66.7 PFF grade ranked 24th out of 89 linebackers and solidly ahead of Anthony Barr's 56.3. While he still has some limitations, he's almost perfectly suited for the current NFL. Wilson has outstanding athleticism, which allows him to move sideline to sideline and make explosive plays in all aspects of the game. He's an excellent pass-rusher, as evidenced by his five sacks in the last two years. He's strong in coverage, trailing only superstars Anthony Harris, Harrison Smith, and Eric Kendricks in PFF coverage grade last year. He's only average as a run- defender, but that doesn't take away from his value.

Wilson will get some pressure from fouth-round rookie Troy Dye, but with this being a weird offseason for rookies, I'd be shocked if Wilson didn't continue to serve as the No. 3 linebacker. Given that the Vikings' most common formation is nickel, that role will still come with fewer than 40 percent of the team's defensive snaps. However, Wilson will also continue to play a ton of snaps on special teams, so he gets plenty of work. And if Kendricks or Barr were to go down, he would immediately see an every-down role.

The Vikings will have to make a decision on Wilson next year in unrestricted free agency, and it's possible they'll turn to Dye as a cheaper option if he impresses this year. But for now, Wilson will look to continue improving and show off his all-around game in a contract year. The former UDFA could have a chance at a major payday next offseason if he puts up a strong performance in 2020. PUBLICATION: Vikings Entertainment Network DATE: 7/26/20

Presser Points: Zimmer Grateful to Keep 'Taking Swings' with Vikings

By Lindsey Young

EAGAN, Minn. – Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer is grateful to be staying in Minnesota.

He signed a three-year contract extension to remain at the helm, the team announced Friday, and Zimmer told media members that he's "very excited and humbled" by the deal that has him under contract through 2023.

"I feel blessed to be able to continue on with the Minnesota Vikings," Zimmer said from Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center via video conference. "I've had great help with our owners – they've given us everything that we've ever asked them to do – and great help with the front office, with [General Manager Rick Spielman] and [Executive Vice President of Football Operations Rob Brzezinski] and [Assistant General Manager George Paton] – those guys have been giving me a lot of help.

"Like I told the coaches the other day, being able to sign a long-term extension is because of what they've helped me do, specifically with the players … throughout my time here," he added. "I feel very blessed and very honored."

Zimmer: This Is My Team and These Are My Guys Zimmer is entering his seventh season as the Vikings head coach and has expressed on multiple occasions during his tenure how much he appreciates the fan support.

"The fans have been outstanding to me. I love the culture in the state of Minnesota. I love the way that they've opened their arms to myself and our [Mike Zimmer Foundation]," he said. "Hopefully we can continue to build upon this and get to where we need to be, which is in the Super Bowl."

Here are four other topics Zimmer talked about related to his contract extension:

1. Growth and experience

The Vikings gave Zimmer his first head-coaching gig after he spent years as a respected defensive coordinator with the Cowboys (2000-06), Falcons (2007) and Bengals (2008-13).

Through his first six regular seasons, Zimmer is 57-38-1, helping Minnesota rank seventh in wins among NFL teams since 2014. He has led the Vikings to NFC North titles in 2015 and 2017 and an additional appearance in the NFC Playoffs last season.

Asked how he feels he has improved since his rookie season as a head coach, Zimmer said, "I think I'm a lot better" and elaborated on the reasons for that.

"When you first do it, there's so many things that come up that you're having to prepare for. There's so many things – I mean, we've had to deal with [a lot up to this point]," Zimmer said. "So I think sometimes you kind of go through those things, you're able to understand the players a little bit better in a lot of different circumstances."

PA and Leber React To Zimmer's Contract Extension Zimmer also emphasized the help he receives from his coaching staff. He specifically named Co-Defensive Coordinators Andre Patterson and Adam Zimmer and Offensive Coordinator Gary Kubiak, along with Senior Defensive Assistant Dom Capers, who joined the Vikings this spring, extending his long coaching career.

"I'm trying to run a lot of things by them as we continue to move forward," Zimmer said. "But being able to study game management, time management, roster management … [and] we've been in two different facilities. I mean, there's so many things that we've gone through in the six years that I've been here that we've had to work through."

2. Emphasis on long-term

Zimmer, who had one year remaining on his current contract, said it was "very, very important" to settle on a three- year deal versus a shorter-term agreement.

"Partly because of my age," admitted the head coach, who turned 64 on June 5. "If I go two more years and I'm 66, my chance of being a head coach somewhere else would probably be not as good.

"I wanted to be here with the Vikings," he added. "I wanted to be here with the group that we've put together – the front office, the coaches, the players – so that was important to me that they were able to do that."

Zimmer was asked about the length of the negotiation period and whether he had worried that a deal may not be reached.

He acknowledged it "took a while to get started" with Vikings Chief Operating Officer Andrew Miller being new to the position, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and then deciding to wait until after the NFL Draft.

Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer in Photos View photos of Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer who signed a 3-year contract extension with the team.

"Then as it gets closer and closer, you get antsy and want to get something done. They did, too. They wanted to get something done," Zimmer said. "We had some hard negotiations there in some parts of the contract that took a little bit longer than we anticipated.

"But there really wasn't a time I felt like it wasn't going to get done," he added. "I feel like this was going to get done, and it just took a little bit longer based on outside things that happened."

3. Old-school but innovative

Entering the 2020 NFL season, Zimmer is the fourth-oldest head coach behind (68), Bill Belichick (68) and Bruce Arians (67).

He's often referred to as "old-school" both in demeanor and game plan, and he has continued to see success with his teams during a time it seems younger and younger coaches are entering the league.

Zimmer noted that although he's garnered a certain reputation, he still understands the importance of adapting and evolving every season.

"If you don't adjust and adapt and come up with new ideas and new things, you're never going to make it. Regardless of being 'old-school' or 'he wants to run the ball' and all of these things that people say, if you're not adapting every single day and every single year, you're not going to last very long because that's what everybody does, and that's the same as life," Zimmer said.

"I feel fortunate that I've never been fired, so I take more pride in that than anything else," he continued. "Not very many coaches can say that. I'm hoping that continues, knock on wood, but we're going to continue to adapt and adjust and invent things like we always have. Just like you say with some of these younger coaches that are doing offensive things and RPOs, we've done many innovative things defensively, as well."

4. No hasty decisions

With Zimmer's mention of his age and desire for a three-year contract, a natural follow-up question was whether he plans to seek an additional term down the road or if he plans for this to be his final rodeo.

"I don't want to make any decisions like that. I feel great," Zimmer said. "I love being around the players, love going out on the field and love game-planning and all the things you have to do to get ready for the season.

"I think when it gets to that time, we'll all make a decision – either I'm coaching really good or I'm coaching really bad," he added with a laugh. "Then we'll decide how I'm feeling and go from there. This is a great opportunity that we have to continue taking swings at what we need to swing at." PUBLICATION: Vikings Entertainment Network DATE: 7/26/20

NFL Officially Cancels 2020 Preseason Games

By Vikings.com

In order to minimize the risk of travel and ensure the 2020 regular season begins in a timely manner, the NFL has determined that no preseason games will be played this year.

Vikings Season Ticket Members will receive the option of a full refund for the two home preseason games or a credit applied toward 2021 season tickets.