It’s been a stressful football season in Minnesota, where the Vikings have fallen to 6-6-1 a year after reaching the NFC Championship.
Things have not gone as planned with high-priced quarterback Kirk Cousins playing very short of expectations and offensive coordinator John DeFilippo being shown the door this week.
The heat is now on head coach Mike Zimmer, who has been feeling the effects of a season that’s slipping away.
According to daughter Corri in a Wednesday Instagram post, Zimmer has lost 16 pounds due to the stress of the season while working 17-plus hour days. She has clearly had it with all the negativity surrounding her father, especially on social media.
“A lot of the times he even sleeps at the office and goes straight to the office after a loss,” she wrote. “He works his ASS off to find a way to WIN for all these so called ‘fans’ that tear him apart. I’ve seen it all today to making fun of his appearance to judging every move he makes and it makes me sick to my stomach. If you don’t appreciate and can’t recognize everything he’s done for this team then you are no fan. These people get behind their keyboards and write heartless comments and i know for a fact that they have never worked as hard as he has ONE day in their life. This man is one of the greatest COACHES, FATHER, HUSBAND, FRIEND, and PERSON in the world. He is the right leader for this team and he will get it turned around. He NEVER points blame or blames others for a loss. He spends what little free time he has with his family and making an impact in the community honoring his late wife. Think before you comment, think of who could be reading it, and look in the mirror before you judge someone else. Social media can be so evil. Taking a break from it for a while before I end up writing back to every single jerk with a dumb opinion.”
Zimmer is in his fifth season with Minnesota, posting a 45-31-1 record in his first head-coaching gig. The Vikings have three games left to improve their playoff lot, with matchups against the Dolphins, Lions and division-leading Bears.
No matter what happens with the season, Zimmer will at least head home to a welcoming family, and who will hopefully have some snacks ready to replenish him.