The Minnesota Vikings have been getting a lot of love recently from the team’s fan base and sporting news outlets. That is understandable since there are quite a few things to be excited about entering the 2015 season. Rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater showed a very promising finish to his rookie season, the young defense has filled some major holes in the draft, the team went out in free agency and picked up a veteran to help stretch the field on offense, and, of course, Adrian Peterson is back.
That excitement for the 2015 Minnesota Vikings seems to be infectious. Personally, I’ve gotten swept up in the thought that the team could make some noise in the NFC North and possibly even slide into the playoffs.
That kind of positive thinking is also taking place in the Vikings ownership. According to the Pioneer Press’ Chris Tomasson, the team’s owner Zygi Wilf has high hopes for his team this year:
"“I’ve never been more optimistic since we’ve owned the team about the players or a coach, our organization and the direction that we’re headed.’’"
March 18, 2013; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Minnesota Vikings owner Zygi Wilf and Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll arrive for the annual NFL meetings at the Arizona Biltmore. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports
And who can blame Wilf? Second year head coach Mike Zimmer seems to have this young team moving in the right direction. It would have been crazy to think that the impact that Zimmer has on the squad would be felt so immediately. Typically, teams with young quarterbacks and fresh coaching changes can take years to settle down and get comfortable, but that doesn’t seem to be the case with the Vikings.
In fact, when Zygi Wilf was asked if he thinks that the Minnesota Vikings have a realistic chance of being Superbowl champions this yeah, he didn’t hesitate to state that he felt good about the team and their chances:
"“Absolutely,’’ Wilf said. “I mean, we can win the Super Bowl, but I stopped making my predictions I think in my third season (of ownership).’’"
A Super Bowl championship is the one thing that has evaded the Vikings since they came into existence. There have been seasons where it looked like Minnesota had a great chance at taking home a Lombardi Trophy, but ended up falling short. Still, winning the big one is a goal of Wilf and the Vikings.
"“One of our two goals, one was building a new stadium for the families and the generations who have enjoyed the team and will continue to enjoy the team, and win a championship,’’ Wilf said. “So we’re in the midst of doing both. … It’s going to be a great venue for the fans here and nationwide will come back to watch the games because of the experiences that they’ll have. It’s a 21st-century stadium that will be rivaled by none.’’"
In my opinion, this is one of the best times ever to be a fan of the Minnesota Vikings. They’re a young team on the rise that will be moving into a fantastic new stadium for the 2016 NFL season. When the fan base, media, coaches, and even players can see how much potential this team has moving forward, its easy to be excited about the future of the franchise.
Next: Minnesota Vikings 2015 Game By Game Previews
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