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Mike Zimmer has agreed to a multi-year contract extension with the Minnesota Vikings, according to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. The 64-year-old coach was entering the final year of his current contract with the club. Including the playoffs, Zimmer has compiled a record 59-41-1 during his first six seasons with the franchise. The Vikings made the playoffs three times under Zimmer that included a trip to the game for the NFL title in 2017. In 2019, after falling short of the postseason in 2018, the Vikings went 10-6 during the regular season before bothering the Saints in the NFC playoff wild card round. Minnesota would then fall to eventual NFC 49ers champions in the divisional round.
Zimmer is already the third-most winning coach in Vikings history, behind Hall of Fame coach Bud Grant and Dennis Green. He told Pelissero last summer that he feels good and sees no reason why he can’t train until he’s 70 years old. Before coming to Minnesota, Zimmer spent 20 seasons as an NFL assistant, which included 14 seasons as a defensive coordinator. After 15 seasons in the ranks of the university, Zimmer landed his first job in the NFL in 1994, serving as an assistant to the Cowboys’ defensive staff. Next season, as the team’s defensive defense coach, Zimmer would coach a high school that posted five interceptions during Dallas’ victories over Green Bay and Pittsburgh in the NFC playoffs. In Super Bowl XXX, one of his players, cornerback Larry Brown, took home the MVP honors after the Cowboys’ 27-17 win over the Steelers.
Zimmer spent seven seasons as the Cowboys ‘defensive coordinator (2000-06) and one season as the Falcons’ defensive coordinator (2007) before joining the Marvin Lewis staff in Cincinnati in 2008. For the next six seasons, Zimmer assisted the The Bengals’ defense become one of the best units in the NFL. The Cincinnati defense would help the Bengals capture the AFC North division titles in 2009 and 2013.
In 2015, his second season as Vikings coach, Zimmer guided Minnesota to his first division title since 2009. The Vikings after that season with three winning seasons under Zimmer, who appears to remain in Minnesota for the foreseeable future.
