Mike Zimmer is entering his sixth season as head coach of the Minnesota Vikings.

Linebacker Anthony Barr has been with him for all of it and has seen his coach grow over the years.

“I think he’s really adapted since I’ve been here,” Barr said via NFL Network. “What I mean by that is, when I first got here he implemented his style and his way and there was no room for discussion or feedback and as time has gone on and we’ve gained his trust. We communicate more often than not about things we’re seeing, things we think will work, things we think don’t work. He really takes into account what our feedback is. That’s appreciated as a player, you want to be heard, you want to be understood and having a coach that listens is very important.”

This could probably be said about most successful coaches in the league. Adapting and listening to your players is a great way to earn their respect, while also growing in their craft.

As we’ve seen with the NFL, it’s a sport that continues to evolve. That carries over to the coaches.