Vikings LB has telling criticism of ex-coach Mike Zimmer

At least one Minnesota Vikings player appears to be rather pleased to see former head coach Mike Zimmer depart the organization.

Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks had a fairly telling criticism of Zimmer after the coach was fired on Monday. Kendricks suggested his relationship with Zimmer had not been great, and suggested that the head coach ran a “fear-based organization.”

Eric Kendricks with some notable comments on the Vikings of late under Mike Zimmer.

Kendricks said there were "some things that were left out there as far as our relationship." Later he added, "I don't think a fear-based organization is the way to go."

— Chad Graff (@ChadGraff) January 10, 2022

If this is how veteran leaders felt about Zimmer, it’s pretty clear why the Vikings saw fit to fire him. Kendricks may not be the only one who felt this way either.

Zimmer had been in charge of the Vikings for eight seasons, so it’s fair to wonder if his message had grown stale among longtime players. The outgoing coach could definitely be quite brutal and it’s easy to see how that could rub some the wrong way. Time will tell if the Vikings made the right move in letting go of a coach who was fairly successful for them, but the locker room certainly seems to welcome the decision.

Photo: Oct 24, 2019; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer prior to the game against the Washington Redskins at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports