Kellen Mond Shares Insights on Mike Zimmer’s Coaching

Kellen Mond has reflected on his time under former coach Mike Zimmer, discussing some critical lessons learned during what he called a “nightmarish” season.

The ex-quarterback vented frustrations about Zimmer’s treatment of him and others, attributing this tough approach to the time right after he was drafted by the Vikings. Mond stated, “When I was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings, the head coach walked out of the draft room. We never spoke. We never spoke.” It’s quite striking, really.

During his stint in the NFL, Mond only played in a single game with the Vikings in 2021 after being picked in the third round. After his time there, he moved around among the Browns, Saints, and Colts.

What stands out is that Zimmer’s lack of interest in wanting Mond on the team left a significant mark on his career. Reportedly, after Mond was drafted, Zimmer left the building and expressed skepticism about Mond’s potential to play effectively.

In an interesting moment, when asked if he’d like to see Mond in a meaningless Week 18 game, Zimmer simply stated, “Not really.” When questioned further, he added dryly, “You get to see him every day.” It kind of makes you think about the dynamics at play.

Mond shared his view that there was some bad blood between Zimmer and former Vikings general manager Rick Spielman. He claimed that Spielman wanted Kirk Cousins as the quarterback while Zimmer didn’t, though ultimately, executives decided to move forward with signing Cousins before the 2018 season.

This tension, according to Mond, created friction that affected the organization at large. He recounted, “During my time playing for the Vikings, I never once saw the general manager and head coach speak. What will happen to that business? It will collapse.” That’s a pretty stark assertion.

After a disappointing 8-9 season, both Zimmer and Spielman were let go, but Mond mentioned that the team found out on the morning following the season’s end. He described the fallout as awkward— “The GM greeted the team and thanked us for our hard work, effort and dedication. The head coach was nowhere to be found.” Zimmer’s absence spoke volumes to Mond, who took this experience as a lesson in leadership, noting, “You can control the energy in the building every time you come to work.” He emphasized, “Leadership is the atmosphere you create, not the title.”

Zimmer had a record of 72-56-1 during his eight seasons with the Vikings but has not had another head coaching opportunity since. He briefly returned to coaching with the Cowboys as defensive coordinator in 2024, though left after Mike McCarthy was dismissed.