Mike Zimmer, John DeFilippo on same page: 'I thought it was all good'

August 14, 2018 at 4:06PM
Mike Zimmer (right) and John DeFilippo earlier this season.
Mike Zimmer (right) and John DeFilippo during Monday's practice in Eagan. (Howard Sinker/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer is pleased that new offensive coordinator John DeFilippo is keeping an open mind in addition to an open line of communication with the man in charge.

Speaking Monday, two days after the Vikings posted 406 yards and 42 points in a preseason win at Denver, Zimmer said he and DeFilippo "talked a lot during the game, and I thought it was all good."

DeFilippo called the game from the sideline and, "didn't have any clock issues, for the most part," Zimmer said.

"He asked me a lot of times, 'Do you want to run the ball here or throw it? How do you want to handle this?' " Zimmer said.

Zimmer also said DeFilippo accepted constructive criticism when the two talked heading into Saturday's game.

"Just from watching practice, you can kind of see when we've got unscripted plays going on, you can kind of see tendencies; at least I can," Zimmer said. "I talked to him about some of those things and he kind of went away from some of them in this game. I feel like he did a really nice job calling the game."

about the writer

about the writer

Mark Craig

Sports reporter

Mark Craig has covered the NFL nearly every year since Brett Favre was a rookie back in 1991. A sports writer since 1987, he is covering his 30th NFL season out of 37 years with the Canton (Ohio) Repository (1987-99) and the Star Tribune (1999-present).

See More