Vikings coach Mike Zimmer wants good football players and good citizens

Being a great Minnesota Vikings player can bring success in the NFL, but being a good citizen can set people up for life and help others at the same time.

The Minnesota Vikings have been hard at work at minicamp. While some are trying to hone their craft and prepare for what could be another deep playoff run, others are fighting for a spot on the team’s roster or just hoping to impress the team’s coaches and staff.

Mike Zimmer is a hard man to impress. His expectations for his players on the field are extremely high, especially following a season which saw the franchise give up the fewest total yards and lowest percentage of third down conversions. But he is always looking for a little more.

When the three-day minicamp for Minnesota came to a close, the head coach huddled the players to give them a message according to the Star Tribune. That message was more of a call to the human beings than the football players.

"“Keep working. Make sure they come back in not just jogging shape, but in shape to plant, break, cut, get in and out of stances — things like that. Make sure they’re good citizens, take care of each other.”"

Minnesota Vikings

When it comes to being good citizens, the Vikings do a good job of giving back to the community. It’s never surprising to see current or former players hosting football camps, doing charity events, building playgrounds, or donating time and money to help those who can’t help themselves.

Some great examples of these charities are the Minnesota Vikings Foundation, Mike Zimmer Foundation, Raise The Barr, and Reel ‘Em In Foundation. Plus, players from Minnesota are often seen taking part or leading up other community activities such as BIG Tackles with Harrison Smith and Eric Kendricks’ Sacks for Kids.

Being active in charities and the community has been a tradition for the Vikings for many years and it’s great to see the team and its staff promoting being a good person as well as being a good football player.

"“A lot of these (current players) have pretty good lives and careers here because of those guys. All the [alumni] here had to have jobs in the summer (during their playing days), so I think it’s important we honor the guys that came before us. Not only the Vikings, but the entire NFL.”"

Next: The 30 greatest Vikings players of all-time

The Vikings will return for the 2018 NFL season where they will attempt to finish the job they started last season and reach the Super Bowl. However, with the great things the team does for the community, they are already winners in the hearts of many.