Vikings take lame-duck status off coach Mike Zimmer, who has best NFL against the spread record

The Minnesota Vikings' Mike Zimmer has been an excellent head coach in six seasons with the franchise, leading the Vikes to 57-38-1 straight-up record and three playoff appearances. He also is the NFL's best against the spread active coach from a cover percentage with a stellar 58-33-5 regular-season ATS record. So why would the Vikings think about letting him leave after the 2020 season? They apparently won't with the team and Zimmer finalizing a multi-year contract extension.

There is an argument that a head coach can simply stay too long in one place, regardless of sport, and that the players will start to tune him out. However, as noted above Zimmer is entering only his seventh season in the Twin Cities, and he hasn't had a losing record since his first year there. His 57 wins are third in franchise history as well as his .599 winning percentage, behind Bud Grant (.621) and Dennis Green (.610). Zimmer's teams are just 2-3 in the playoffs, though.

Minnesota was 10-6 last year and upset the Saints in New Orleans in the Wild-Card Game before being routed in the Divisional Round at San Francisco. The Vikings are given an Over-Under win total of 9 at William Hill sportsbook for this year and are +150 second-favorites to Green Bay (+140) for the NFC North title.

Zimmer was entering the final year of a contract that had been extended only through 2020 in February 2019. Surely, the front office/ownership didn't want Zimmer's lame-duck status as a distraction this year over what looks to be a very talented team.

Not a shock this is happening now because the Vikings often wait to announce big news like contract signings until the week that players report to training camp. Rookies and QBs did this week and veterans are due next Tuesday.

There's no question that several clubs would have been interested in Zimmer had he hit the market next winter. There were rumblings the Dallas Cowboys were interested in potentially "trading" for Zimmer this past winter; when Bill Parcells coached the Cowboys from 2003-06, Zimmer was his defensive coordinator. However, the Cowboys opted to hire former Packers coach Mike McCarthy.

Zimmer's Vikings open at home as 3-point favorites on Sept. 13 vs. rival Green Bay.

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