Mike Zimmer: ‘Pretty easy’ decision to cut Daniel Carlson

As usual, the Minnesota Vikings head coach didn’t hold back his true feelings when asked about the decision the team made to cut their rookie kicker on Monday.

It was a move that many saw coming and after Sunday’s results, it was a move the Minnesota Vikings had to make.

The Vikings went ahead on Monday and decided to part ways with Daniel Carlson after the rookie kicker missed all three of his field goal attempts during Sunday’s matchup with the Green Bay Packers, including two in overtime.

Carlson’s missed kicks ultimately resulted in Minnesota leaving Green Bay with a tie this week.

The news of the Vikings saying goodbye to the rookie kicker was reported prior to Minnesota head coach Mike Zimmer’s weekly presser on Monday afternoon. So as expected, questions about the move were what Zimmer had to answer first.

Asked about what went into the decision to let go of Carlson, the Vikings’ head coach responded with his own question.

"“Did you see the game?”"

Then Zimmer was asked if the move on Monday was an easy one to make. The Minnesota head coach had no problem providing an answer to that.

"“Yeah, it was pretty easy.”"

Zimmer has never been one to mince his words and he kept up with this habit with his responses on Monday. Sometimes the truth hurts, but Vikings players would likely rather hear their head coach give them his straight and honest opinion about something than lie to their faces.

It really should not be too surprising to anyone that the Vikings cut ties with Carlson on Monday. Minnesota has the pieces to make a run toward the Super Bowl this season and having a rookie kicker ruin their chances was not about to be something the team was going to let happen.

To replace Carlson, the Vikings will reportedly sign former Dallas Cowboys kicker Dan Bailey. During his presser on Monday, Zimmer said that Minnesota is going to bring in Bailey for a physical this week and take it from there.

Is this a decision the Vikings wanted to be making just two weeks into the 2018 season? No, of course not.

But it’s much better that Minnesota get their kicking situation sorted out now instead of having to potentially deal with another heartbreaking miss in a future playoff game.