Page 22 - ARUBA TODAY

A22 sports
Thursday 18 January 2018
Resilient Vikings have taken their cue from Zimmer

By DAVE CAMPBELL “Sometimes you wonder,
AP Pro Football Writer but I have a lot of confi-
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) — dence in myself,” Zimmer
Mike Zimmer was already said at his introductory
smiling more than usual, news conference at team
sporting a relaxed look of headquarters. “I feel like I
satisfaction rarely revealed was destined to do this.”
in public during the NFL That first season, the Vikings
season, when he really improved by two wins to
let his guard down a few finish 7-9 with rookie Teddy
minutes into his postgame Bridgewater forced into
news conference deep in- action ahead of schedule
side Minnesota’s still-buzz- at quarterback and run-
ing stadium. ning back Adrian Peter-
“Hey, let’s open these son absent for all but one
things up!” Zimmer blurted game because of the child
out mid-sentence, prod- abuse case and subse-
ding a Vikings official to quent NFL discipline dispute
push the button that re- he was involved in. In 2015,
moves the window shades they went 11-5 and ended
and allows the premium Green Bay’s four-year hold
ticket-holders in an adja- on the NFC North title.
cent lounge to peer in the The potholes in the road
room. Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer waves as fans looked into his post-game press con- were waiting, though.
His wish to interact with the ference following a 29-24 win over the New Orleans Saints an NFL divisional football playoff game Blair Walsh’s 27-yard field-
customers who cheered in Minneapolis, Sunday, Jan. 14, 2018. goal try went wide left at
the Vikings on to a last-play Associated Press the end of the one-point
divisional round victory was league to players in the ed territory for this champi- After being passed over for wild-card round loss at
granted. locker room to people up onship-deprived franchise. so many head coach va- home to Seattle.
Zimmer then proceeded and down the organiza- Zimmer, for his part, has ex- cancies during a six-year The 5-0 start in 2016 was
to slowly and rhythmically tion, there’s a strong sen- perienced his own share of run as Cincinnati’s defen- washed away by a torrent
clap above his head, digni- timent that Zimmer has painful setbacks. sive coordinator, Zimmer of season-ending injuries,
fying the ritual “Skol” chant earned this, too, pulling “I just think he was so proud nearly canceled a second including Bridgewater, Pe-
performed by the purple- within one win of a Super of us,” tight end Kyle Ru- interview in Minnesota in terson and several offen-
clad fans at each game Bowl appearance. dolph said. “Proud of us for 2014 after a different team sive linemen.
honoring the area’s Scan- The way the Vikings finished fighting until there were ze- that considered him chose Offensive coordinator Norv
dinavian heritage and the their 29-24 victory over New ros on the clock.” a different candidate. He Turner resigned the day
team’s nickname. Orleans on a last-chance Zimmer is only here, prepar- ignored the discourage- after Zimmer had the first
“You deserve it!” Zimmer 61-yard touchdown pass ing the Vikings for the NFC ment in his head, instead of eight eye surgeries to
said, again interrupting his from Case Keenum to title game in Philadelphia accepting the offer to address a torn retina. The
own answer to acknowl- Stefon Diggs suggested on Sunday, because he become the ninth head third procedure forced him
edge the crowd. they’re on some kind of himself resisted the urge to coach in team history at to miss a game for the first
From peers around the charmed path, an unchart- quit. age 57. time in his career .q

Todd Haley direct party to the incident

and he said afterward he
Continued from Page 17 Haley’s playcalling, the had the team’s full support
ascension of All-Pro wide and was told it was not an
The 50-year-old Haley, receiver Antonio Brown to issue moving forward.
whose father Dick spent one of the best players in Less than two weeks later,
two decades as Pitts- the league and the arrival Haley finds himself looking
burgh’s director of player and development of All- for work. Tomlin declined
personnel in the 1970s and Pro running back Le’Veon to endorse Haley’s return
80s, was hired in 2012 and Bell. during his season-ending
tasked with developing an Brown is the only player in news conference on Tues-
offense around quarter- NFL history with five con- day.
back Ben Roethlisberger. secutive seasons with at A day later Haley’s pro-
Though there appeared to least 100 receptions. Bell is ductive if tumultuous time
be some tension between one of the best all-around with the Steelers was over.
the two early in Haley’s backs in the league and his Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin holds his NFL football Whoever replaces him will
tenure, the results rewrote 406 touches in 2017 were season ending weekly meeting with the media at Steelers have one of the most tal-
headquarters in Pittsburgh Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018.
much of the team record 60 more than any other ented offenses in the NFL
book. player. Associated Press at his disposal. The entire
The Steelers finished in the Roethlisberger tied for the Haley and Roethlisberger Haley was injured during starting offensive line is un-
top seven in total offense in NFL lead in yards passing in downplayed any discord an incident at a bar near der contract for 2018. Ro-
each of the past four sea- 2014 and just as importantly between the two, though Heinz Field on New Year’s ethlisberger has already
sons, including third in 2017. saw the number of times he Haley swapped places Eve shortly after the Steel- stated publicly he will be
Pittsburgh won three divi- was sacked decrease sub- with Randy Fichtner in the ers wrapped up a 13-3 back for a 15th season.
sion titles and reached the stantially even as he put middle of the season, mov- season with a victory over Brown is signed through
playoffs in each of those the ball in the air more fre- ing from the sideline to the Cleveland. 2021. Bell’s situation is a
seasons thanks in part to quently. coach’s box. Haley was not considered a little more unclear.q