The Minnesota Vikings’ surprise victory against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday continues to foster more belief
The analysts on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football surveyed the NFC playoff picture on their show today. Holding the seventh spot firmly, lie the Minnesota Vikings at 5-4. Peter Schrager did not hold back his thoughts on the Vikings and his belief in what Minnesota is doing now.
Schrager discussed Josh Dobbs’ meeting Zygi Wilf, the team’s chairman, in the locker room to further cement Dobbs’ lack of familiarity with the team before leading them to a 31-28 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. Schrager then lists the next three games for the Vikings (vs. New Orleans, at Denver and vs. Chicago) before the bye week and illustrates how all three are winnable games.
Schrager illustrates that Minnesota could go into the bye week 8-4 and be firmly in the playoff race, maybe even the NFC North division race.
He ends the segment stating how masterful the job is for Kevin O’Connell, stating how he should be in the Coach of the Year race if this team makes the playoffs. Illustrating how this team was essentially left for dead after a 0-3 start, after losing Justin Jefferson and Cousins, but is still finding ways to win football games.
Schrager is a firm believer in what’s going on in Minnesota.
After losing all of his game balls in Hurricane Ian, Rick Spielman received new ones from Vikings owners Zygi and Mark Wilf.
The Minnesota Vikings finished first in the inaugural team report cards issued by the NFL Players Association and instances like this are a major reason why.
According to former Vikings general manager Rick Spielman, owners Zygi and Mark Wilf sent him replacement game balls after he lost them all in Hurrican Ian.
During the devastation of Hurricane Ian, @spielman_rick lost all of his memorabilia & a majority of his game balls from his time with the @Vikings
Spielman mentions in the above clip that this (football) business is brutal and he’s right. Things can go south really quickly and the turnover in front offices happen quickly. What doesn’t get discussed enough is the kind gestures that ownership makes to their current and former employees.
This is a simple gesture from the Wilf’s to Spielman, but one that won’t go unnoticed across the league. The Vikings are one of the best franchises to work for and this is one of the many reasons why.
Even though he was on the decline with his performance and his cap number was so high, Cook will be missed both on and off the field. Head coach Kevin O’Connell, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and owners Zygi and Mark Wilf all spoke about Cook, his impact and how he will be missed.
After leaving the Cardinals for the Vikings this offseason, CB Byron Murphy Jr. didn’t hold back when talking about his former team.
The Minnesota Vikings signed former Arizona Cardinals cornerback Byron Murphy, Jr. this off-season to bolster their cornerback room. In a recent media session with Vikings reporters, Murphy was quite candid about the difference in the quality of life between the two organizations.
“Last year, (was the) first time (of me) actually getting injured, he sitting out that many games, kind of brought me back to reality…I’m here, I’m doing all those things. (I’m) just happy to get away from that situation. Always thankful for that team, coming from there, but I’m just here now. Excited, and happy, this is just better for me. Everything is better”
Donnie Druin of Sports Illustrated pointed out an interesting distinction between the two franchises: The conditions of their facility and overall confidence in the organization. The NFLPA released anonymously graded report cards to illustrate every team’s ability to accommodate the lives of their players.
The two organizations are on opposite sides of the spectrum. Arizona was graded 31st out of the 32 teams for their conditions. Minnesota ranked first. Their lowest grade was an A- for food and nutrition, which still ranked in the top ten.
As I studied the two report cards, there was one glaring difference between the two organizations. In Arizona, the players don’t have confidence that their owner, Michael Bidwill, will invest in the future of the facilities. A sentiment that I’m sure feels like a slap in the face to these players. On the contrary, Minnesota, and owner Zygi Wilf, has shown time and time again that they are willing to put their players in the best possible position to succeed. From getting rid of staff members that players have had negative experiences with to investing in the facilities to optimize player performance.
As Minnesota continues to rebuild this roster toward the future, these factors could be the difference in a free agent’s decision. Minnesota is becoming the standard when it comes to investing in its players. As a result, the players rewarded them with a 13-4 record and a fun 2022 regular season. Maybe their success in O’Connell’s first year could be seen as a testament to what can happen when players have confidence in the direction of an organization.
The Minnesota Vikings lost their legendary head coach Bud Grant on Saturday. @jzulgad goes into what made him so special to so many
There will be countless tributes to Bud Grant in the coming days and each one will be deserved. But as we mourn Grant’s passing and celebrate his life, these tributes figure to be very different.
Grant, who passed away at the age of 95 on Saturday, will be remembered by some who actually saw or know about his greatness as a three-sport athlete (baseball, basketball and football) at the University of Minnesota. Grant also played professionally for the NBA’s Minneapolis Lakers (1949-51), the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles (1951-52) and the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers (1953-56).
Others, including myself, will remember Grant as the Vikings coach who turned the franchise into a four-time Super Bowl participant and a power playing in the elements at Metropolitan Stadium. The only thing eventually missing from Grant’s resume being a Super Bowl championship.
There was a time when everyone in Minnesota knew that while Vikings’ opponents froze on the Bloomington prairie, Grant made sure his players never had a sideline heater to huddle around. The piercing stare from those steely blue eyes and the lack of an expression on his face could strike fear in the hearts of players and fans alike.
Then there is the generation of fans who never saw Grant coach a game and only have heard tales of what it was like when the Purple People Eaters made life miserable for opposing quarterbacks.
Younger fans did get their Grant moment in January 2016 when the Hall of Fame coach walked to the 50-yard line at the Vikings’ temporary home, TCF Bank Stadium, wearing short sleeves in minus-6 degree weather before a playoff game against Seattle.
Bud Grant was the epitome of toughness and what the Minnesota Vikings were in the days of the Purple People Eaters. He will be missed, but never forgotten pic.twitter.com/LjvsxKilQ1
That game tied for the third-coldest in NFL history, and, yet, Grant stood on the field for the coin toss and then on the sideline for the national anthem in short sleeves. He was 88 at the time. As cold as it was, you can be certain some old-timers had tears in their eyes and others, who only had heard about Grant’s refusal to give into the elements, realized the stories that their elders had told weren’t fables.
All of the memories that will be shared about Grant speak to how rich his life was and how many people he affected. Many of his former players loved him and so did many who never met him. Grant is arguably the most famous sports figure in Minnesota history, even though he was born in Superior, Wis., on May 20, 1927.
In many ways, Grant was Minnesota.
From the steely demeanor that he perfectly personified on the sideline, to the fact he was an avid outdoorsman, Grant represented what the state stands for in so many ways.
Grant had many Hall of Fame players on his rosters through the years, including quarterback Fran Tarkenton. But, as Vikings owners Mark and Zygi Wilf said in a statement Saturday, it was Grant who was the most famous name associated with the franchise. “No single individual more defined the Minnesota Vikings than Bud Grant,” the Wilfs said. “A once-in-a-lifetime man, Bud will forever be synonymous with success, toughness, the North and the Vikings. In short, he was the Vikings.”
Grant, through an agreement worked out when he came out of retirement in 1985 following a one-season absence that proved disastrous for the Vikings, had an office at Winter Park and later TCO Performance Center that he could visit whenever he wanted. Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell took advantage of Grant’s occasional presence in the last year to talk to a man who coached his final season the year O’Connell was born.
“Bud was gracious with his time, meeting in his office weekly to discuss football and life,” O’Connell said in a statement. “I will forever cherish those conversations because they made me a better coach, a better husband and father and a better person.”
O’Connell wasn’t simply trying to be kind. Grant remained sharp until the end and had plenty to offer those around him. Last December, I had the pleasure of hearing Grant reminisce about the Miracle at the Met, along with quarterback Tommy Kramer and wide receiver Ahmad Rashad, at a hotel that sits on the Met Stadium site.
That win came on Dec. 14, 1980 when Kramer connected with Rashad on a 46-yard Hail Mary pass on the final play of the game to give the Vikings a 28-23 victory. Many of Grant’s former players also were in attendance. Sitting up on the stage, Grant told stories, poked fun at himself and others and at 95 still had his fastball.
Grant’s death three months later is sad but as we celebrate his life it’s worth remembering that Bud remained Bud until the end. And while our memories of him might be different, the one thing that isn’t is the respect everyone in this state had for the man.
In the first-ever NFLPA team report card, the Vikings finished with a 4.0
For the first time, the NFL Player’s Association released their team report cards on Wednesday.
The report cards polled 1,300 players, who provided information about their current teams. According to the press release, the NFLPA’s goals “were to highlight positive clubs, identify areas that could use improvement, and highlight best practices and standards.”
NFL teams were graded on eight categories with a grading range of F to A+. The eight categories included: treatment of families, nutrition, weight room, strength staff, training room, locker room, and travel.
The report card mentioned that all players felt like owner Zygi Wilf is willing to spend money to upgrade their facilities. It also called Kevin O’Connell “one of the most player-friendly coaches.”
The overview finished saying that the Vikings “are a shining example of what is possible when a concerted investment is made in both staffing and facilities.”
Here is how the Vikings graded out in each category.
17 years ago, the fateful voyage set sail on Lake Minnetonka
The beginning of the Zygi Wilf era was a tumultuous one. After former owner Red McCombs spent years giving the team budgets that were minimal at best, he officially sold the team in the summer to Zygi and Mark Wilf.
The team they inherited had just traded Hall of Fame wide receiver Randy Moss and quarterback Daunte Culpepper was coming off of an MVP-type season.
Instead of seeing success on the field right away, the Wilf’s had to deal with a myriad of scandals. Onterrio Smith being caught using “The Whizzinator,” head coach Mike Tice being caught scalping tickets, and one of the biggest scandals in NFL history: The Love Boat.
Love Boat: 17 years ago today. A life-changing, franchise-changing, state-changing event. Yes, it affected the reputation of the entire state of Minnesota. How do I know that? I've told this story before, but worth reiterating… https://t.co/GwSB0JiW6c
The event had all the elements of a popular scandal: sex, drugs and celebrities. There were 17 players identified as being on the two yachts that were rented from Al and Alma’s on Lake Minnetonka. The Star Tribune broke the story at the time and the details are insane.
“At least 17 Vikings players have been identified as being on the
yachts, he said. It was unclear how many were involved in
sex-related activities. At least 90 people were on the two yachts. The boats were ordered to return to shore just 40 minutes into what had been planned as a 3 1/2-hour cruise after supervisors learned of the alleged behavior.”
That fateful bye week expenditure, organized by free agent signee cornerback Fred Smoot, changed the course of Vikings’ history and left a massive wound on the history of the storied franchise. 17 years later, things have changed drastically for the Vikings, including a 77-page code of conduct that Wilf gave to the players after the incident.
Needless to say, this is an incident the Vikings wish they could forget.
QB1 showed real leadership after the game on Sunday
Even though he’s been a captain during each of his five seasons as the Minnesota Vikings quarterback, we haven’t seen a lot of outward leadership from Kirk Cousins.
On Sunday, we saw a different Cousins on the field. He was more confident, seeing the field better and making great decisions. Cousins was even working his progressions better than we have seen in recent memory.
After the game on Sunday, Cousins went up to the owner Zygi Wilf and asked if he could present game balls to head coach Kevin O’Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and he was all for it.
Kirk Cousins said he approached owner Zygi Wilf to ask if he could present game balls to coach Kevin O'Connell and GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. Wilf agreed, and Cousins made the presentation in the locker room.
Veteran concerns like those harbored by Eric Kendricks played a role in ownership’s GM and head coaching hires.
Eric Kendricks turned heads when speaking about a “fear-based culture” in the aftermath of the Minnesota Vikings firing coach Mike Zimmer in January.
Now, the former First-Team All-Pro linebacker is saying he spoke with co-owners Mark and Zygi Wilf directly, when the team was in the early stages of hiring a new general manager and head coach.
“We had a great conversation at the end of the season and throughout the offseason a little bit,” Kendricks told reporters on Wednesday, “I’ve talked to the Wilfs as well. They are very involved in the community as well. Just having that bridge of communication with them and the management as well, I feel like it’s not really common. I talk to players around the league, and they don’t really have that communication with their ownership.”
The Vikings eventually settled on former Cleveland Browns vice president of football operations Kwesi Adofo-Mensah as their new general manager and former Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell as the new head coach.
Adofo-Mensah has spoken about collaboration and making decisions as a collective since arriving in Minnesota. And O’Connell is more of a player’s coach with an ability to relate better with all of the different personalities on the roster.
That isn’t an attempt to pile on a more old school-minded coach like Zimmer. Former Vikings star linebacker Chad Greenway recently called him an elite coach, but he also claimed his “aggressive” coaching style “wasn’t for everybody.”
Kendricks has never elaborated on his feelings towards Zimmer, but to be fair, it really doesn’t even matter at this point. The Vikings are moving on with O’Connell at the helm of the ship, while Zimmer has moved on with his life as well.
If another coaching opportunity presents itself, perhaps the two paths will cross again someday.
First statements from owners Mark and Zygi Wilf on the O’Connell hiring.
The Minnesota Vikings finally got their man.
Kevin O’Connell was officially announced as the new head coach for the team on Wednesday, following his victory as the offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams at Super Bowl LVI.
Vikings Owner/Chairman Zygi Wilf, along with Owner/President Mark Wilf, commented on the hire on social media in written statements.
“Kevin is an impressive and respected leader who has been a part of some explosive offensive schemes. He has a tremendous football IQ and is passionate about preparing, developing and communicating with his players,” said Zygi. “Beyond the Xs and Os, everyone we spoke with throughout this search spoke highly of Kevin’s ability to motivate players, coaches and staff.”
The Vikings are loaded at the skilled positions on offense, and McConnell has a connection with quarterback Kirk Cousins during their time together with the Washington Commanders.
So there is hope within the organization that O’Connell will be in a position to hit the ground running.
“We are ecstatic to add Kevin as our head coach,” said Mark. “He is a strong leader, an innovative coach and an excellent communicator. Kevin played the game at all levels, which gives him a unique connection to players, and he is highly respected throughout the league. Vikings fans should be excited for the future of this team under Kevin’s direction.”
