Back when backup tight end/fullback Rhett Ellison left the Vikings for browner pastures this off-season, in what seems like years ago (as this off-season has dragged on more than a pile of Packers trying to take down Dalvin Cook), his father, the aptly named Riki, decided to rip on the team that supported his son’s career for years (and also made him a millionaire). The crux of his nonsense was that there was a veteran upheaval based on how head coach Mike Zimmer treated the players, especially when speaking to the media. His direct approach was labeled as “toxic leadership” and that’s why Ellison and nickel corner Captain Munnerlyn left the team (again according to Riki). Despite the fact that the Vikings re-signed other veterans this off-season in Xavier Rhodes, Linval Joseph and Everson Griffen. The example was how he talked about players to the media, namely linebacker Anthony Barr.

During this time I noticed a lot of people responding to articles about it by bashing Zimmer. They blamed the mess that was (the post-Bye) 2016 on him and essentially said that he shouldn’t be ripping players to the media. They essentially said that his demeanor was too direct, too mean, etc. To Zimmer’s credit, he did address the rumors and said that he actually tried to call Riki Ellison, to no avail. He also said that players like the retiring Chad Greenway sat down with him and discussed the future of the team and ways that he could improve as a head coach. He spent much of this off-season talking to other head coaches for the same reason. That, alone, shows that he really is trying to be the best coach possible and that he isn’t under the impression that he knows everything. He’s working to improve and that’s really something that should be applauded, not ignored.

So, I thought that I’d post this video I recently came across of former Vikings head coach Jerry Burns. In it, he essentially destroys the media after a win, of all things. In doing so, he actually supports his offensive coordinator and some of his players, but also rips one. So, keep in mind that this video is NSFW, and also perspective changing!

Let’s give Zimmer and the team a chance, this year, everyone! Beyond a lot of the Zimmer hate, I’ve seen a lot of negativity from fans and it doesn’t seem like people have a lot of faith in what Zimmer (and Spielman) have put together and thus think that the team has no shot this year. 2017 is going to be the crux of their half a decade of work, with no major injuries really affecting the team going into the season like they have in years past. They have their starting quarterback, they have an improved (on paper, and really in game two of the pre-season) offensive line. They have an exciting rookie running back and a third down back that is really, really good. They have depth at wide receiver and the potential of a down the field threat in Michael Floyd. The defensive line could be the best in the NFL, an exciting group of linebackers (including rookie Michigan-der (?) in Ben Gedeon, Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks). As stated above, they re-signed shut down corner Xavier Rhodes and while they may be hurting at nickel (because of the aforementioned loss of Captain Munnerlyn) it’ll be exciting to see what third year corner and former first round pick Trae Waynes can do (presumably playing in front of the ageless wonder that is Terrance Newman). Then there’s Harrison Smith.

So, on paper, this team looks pretty darn good and while as Vikings fans we know that that doesn’t always translate to success on the field, my point is that this is probably the best example of all of the work that Spielman and Zimmer have done to build the team they want/that fits their system. This year, to me, more than any other (since both were hired/promoted) will show whether or not they’re on the right track and despite the negativity I’ve been seeing online, I do believe that the Vikings will surprise a lot of people this season. If I’m wrong, there’ll always be the above video to help remove the salt from my wounds.