No playoffs helped seal fate of Mike Zimmer and Rick Spielman – Minnesota Vikings Blog

MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Vikings owners Mark and Zygi Wilf had enough of being relevant one year and an afterthought the next.

Their decision on Monday to fire coach Mike Zimmer and general manager Rick Spielman – who had been together since 2014 – signified an overhaul in an effort to rebuild the Vikings into a legitimate contender.

The Wilfs viewed this as the only way they could right the ship after missing the playoffs in back-to-back years, the first time that had happened during Zimmer’s eight years in Minnesota. They had gone the route of trying to be competitive while executing a soft rebuild after last making the postseason in 2019. The Vikings then parted ways with veterans deemed too expensive and relied heavily on rookies to bridge the gap.

That approach is what put the Vikings in this position in the first place, with a 7-9 finish in 2020 and 8-9 record in 2021. This time, the Wilfs decided to tear things down and start over. Two playoff wins in eight seasons was not enough to justify continuing the course with Zimmer and Spielman, who both received contract extensions ahead of the 2020 season.

“We appreciate Rick and Mike’s commitment to the team’s on-field success, their passion for making a positive impact in our community and their dedication to players, coaches and staff,” the Wilfs said in a statement. “While these decisions are not easy, we believe it is time for new leadership to elevate our team so we can consistently contend for championships.”

The Wilfs say they will begin a “comprehensive search” for their next general manager and head coach immediately, and that it will be led internally.

Hiring a general manager who will then hire the 10th head coach in franchise history is the right order of action.

Leaning on trusted staff members like Rob Brzezinski, the executive vice…