Mike Zimmer is a no-nonsense guy. If he figures there’s too much nonsense surrounding Johnny Manziel, he wants to get to the bottom of it.

The Vikings coach last week called the atmosphere surrounding the quarterback’s pro day a “sideshow.” Monday, he spoke of some overall concerns he has about the former Texas A&M star, who is a candidate to be taken by Minnesota with the No. 8 pick in the May draft.

Manziel’s pro day workout Thursday in College Station, Texas, featured Manziel donning a helmet and shoulder pads, rap music playing and former President George H.W. Bush and his wife, Barbara, in attendance. Related Articles The Loop NFL Picks: Week 2

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Zimmer, general manager Rick Spielman and offensive coordinator Norv Turner were among Vikings officials who had dinner with Manziel on Friday. In an interview Monday on Austin, Texas, radio station 104.9 The Horn, Zimmer elaborated on the team’s research of Manziel.

“We asked him all kinds of questions (at the dinner). … We (also) talked to him at the combine (in Indianapolis in February),” Zimmer said. “There are some flags that come up. All of the things that happened out in Los Angeles, the commercials and all that stuff.”

Manziel earlier this year filmed a McDonald’s commercial with Le-Bron James in which he strikes a Heisman Trophy pose. He won the award in 2012.

“The position of quarterback in the NFL is such an important position, and the reason these guys need to be a totally football-minded guy is the pressure of the position and being the face of an NFL team and doing everything right,” Zimmer continued in the interview. “That’s the thing you want to know about (Manziel). Will he be in to work early every single day? Will he be the last to leave? Will he be the guy that is working the hardest to get better? … That position has got to be a position that really eats, breathes and sleeps football.”

Manziel said he performed in shoulder pads and a helmet at the pro day because that’s what football players wear during games. But Zimmer admitted in Monday’s interview being skeptical about Manziel’s intentions considering some of his well-chronicled issues off the field during his turbulent two years at Texas A&M.

“The helmet and shoulders pads … I guess the thing you have to figure out is, is this just another part of the things that happened a couple of years ago after he won the Heisman Trophy or is he just a different person as far as wanting the limelight or just wanting to prove that he can do things the right way?” Zimmer said. “I guess it maybe brings a few questions marks in. Is he going to conform to typically what the NFL is or what everyone else has done before him, including what the great players in the game have done before him, or is he going to try to be the celebrity man guy that he was maybe a year and a half ago?”

Zimmer has been outspoken about wanting to do all the research he can about Manziel. With the NFL draft set for May 8-10, he still has more than a month to continue it.

Follow Chris Tomasson at twitter.com/christomasson.