Now that the Mike Zimmer era is completely in the rearview, more players for the Minnesota Vikings are speaking out about the differences between the previous coaching staff and the current one under Kevin O’Connell.
Cornerback Kris Boyd was the latest to give his take on what things were really like when Zimmer was at the helm, and his comments mirrored remarks made by standout linebacker Eric Kendricks, who claimed the team was being ran like a “fear-based organization.”
When appearing on All Things Covered, Boyd spoke about fear seemingly being at the center of everything football-related under the previous regime.
“With the last staff, they were like, whatever they were dealing with or were scared of, I don’t know,” said Boyd. “… They would walk around with their [butts] like tight. [They] would always be strict about everything. Like any time you messed up, it’s like the world ended.
“[O’Connell] and them, they way more chill, way more relaxed. Whatever we got to get fixed, we’re going to fix it. We’re going to keep rolling. We’re going to bounce back and figure it out. [They’ve changed] the whole vibe. Everybody’s way more relaxed.”
There’s obviously a distinct difference in coaching approaches from O’Connell and Zimmer.
O’Connell, 37, is a younger coach with a better ability to relate to the players on his team. He’s more of a player-friendly coach that runs his team with a bit more freedom. That approach might not work for everyone, but it did lead to O’Connell winning a Super Bowl under Sean McVay with the Los Angeles Rams.
Quite the contrary, Zimmer is more of an old school coach that ruled with an iron fist. That approach is fine as long as the team is winning football games. But an unpleasant atmosphere combined with failing to make the playoffs in back-to-back seasons is always going to be a recipe for disaster.
The team imploded—and Zimmer along with it.
