George Edwards helps create Mike Zimmer’s vision for Minnesota Vikings
By Adam Carlson
Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer is not available, but defensive coordinator George Edwards is up for the task of creating improvement.
Make no mistake: the Minnesota Vikings are Mike Zimmer‘s team. There is a reason experts, fans, and analysts describe the defense using the head coach’s name rather than descriptors or personnel.
However. the team does not have Zimmer available following a procedure on his eye that will keep him away from the team until early June. In the meantime, defensive coordinator George Edwards has been working hard to ensure the team doesn’t miss a step during OTAs and workouts.
In an article on Scout.com’s Vikings Update, Edwards spoke about dealing with the absence of Mike Zimmer at Vikings activities.
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"“We are in constant communication with him. We are relaying his message and his vision for this football team and I think everyone is pitching in to make sure we work through what we need to work through and get improvement in areas we need to improve.”"
Edwards is often a forgotten man when it comes to talking about the Vikings defense. With Zimmer getting the most credit for the scheme and players making big plays, the defensive coordinator is tasked with making sure the players execute and working with them to ensure plays go off without a hitch.
Thankfully, Edwards is up to the task and has several veterans on the team to help the team get through this time without their head coach.
"“Some of guys have been here for over three years for us, some two, but having that continuity, especially on our side of the ball, has been a blessing when it comes to communication, the different techniques and fundamentals, and things we are working on schematically through this period.”"
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Mike Zimmer is hoping this will be the final procedure on his eye, but an injury like this often has unexpected issues that may cause the head coach to miss more time. One big positive for this Minnesota Vikings team is having George Edwards there to make sure that Zimmer’s plan is executed on the field.