Vikings extend contract of head coach Mike Zimmer through 2020

The Minnesota Vikings have given head coach Mike Zimmer an extension on his contract, keeping the head coach around through the 2020 NFL season.

This morning, Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman spoke and the media at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine where it was revealed that Mike Zimmer would remain the team’s head coach through the 2020 NFL season and shared on the team’s official website.

Fans shouldn’t be too surprised to hear this news since Zimmer is among the winningest coaches all-time in franchise history. Since his hire in 2014, Minnesota has a regular season record of 47-32-1, a win percentage of 59.4%, which is the third-best in franchise history behind only Bud Grant and Dennis Green.

In addition, the Vikings have reached the playoffs twice under Zimmer, reaching the NFC Championship game on both occasions but falling just short of returning to the Super Bowl for the first time since Jan. 9, 1977.

Here is the statement from Spielman during the conference in Indianapolis:

"“We did exercise Coach Zimmer’s option, so he will be through 2020,” Spielman said. “I don’t think, from ownership through our entire organization, that we don’t believe in Coach Zimmer. He is the right head coach to lead us going forward.”"

Based on his past performance, especially improving the Vikings defense significantly upon arrival, keeping Zimmer around for at least another year seems like a no-brainer. The team seems to rally around him and he has proven the ability to lead the team to wins.

With new members of the coaching staff around him during the 2019 NFL season, it will be interesting to see if Zimmer and his crew can keep his winning ways in Minnesota and provide stability in the coaching staff.

Congratulations to Mike Zimmer on his contract extension with the Minnesota Vikings and best of luck to him and the team during the 2019 and 2020 NFL seasons. The extension should take some pressure off and allow Zimmer to focus more on the team rather than his contract situation with the franchise.