Inside The Vikings

Post-Vikings, Mike Zimmer and Rick Spielman Are... Working Together Again?

Zimmer and Spielman have both joined a media company called The 33rd Team.

Will Ragatz

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In the months after the Vikings' Mike Zimmer/Rick Spielman era came to an end, there were plenty of rumblings about how the two leaders had a strained relationship, to the point where they allegedly didn't speak for much of last season.

Given that context, it's a little surprising to see that their post-Vikings paths have them working together again.

Both Zimmer and Spielman have joined an online media outlet called The 33rd Team, which features a star-studded roster of former players, coaches, executives, and other football people as analysts.

Founded by former NFL execs Mike Tannenbaum and Joe Banner, The 33rd Team features written and video content on its website and social media platforms. But instead of traditional journalists or bloggers, they've got legendary former head coaches and star players and executives creating content.

Spielman is going to be doing both written and video work for The 33rd Team. Here's a breakdown he wrote on the Deshaun Watson situation from a roster and salary cap perspective, and here's a recent video he did on Tom Brady after visiting Buccaneers training camp.

Spielman has spent much of this offseason transitioning into a media role. He's done a bit of everything, from podcast appearances to TikTok videos to a role with CBS Sports. The longtime former Vikings GM has toured a bunch of training camps across the country over the past few weeks, and he's even joined Twitter.

I'm more curious to see what Zimmer will end up doing in this new role. He frequently seemed to be less than fond of the media during his eight years as the Vikings' head coach. Naturally a more reserved person than Spielman, Zimmer basically dropped off the map for most of this offseason, presumably spending time with his family and at his ranch in Kentucky.

Zimmer recently made a public appearance at Bengals training camp. He spent six years as Cincinnati's defensive coordinator, and his son Adam — a former co-DC for the Vikings — is on Zac Taylor's coaching staff this year.

So far, Zimmer's only byline on The 33rd Team is a co-byline with three others from a couple weeks ago on NFL players holding out. It'll be interesting to see what kind of written or on-camera work he ends up doing.

So, yeah. Rick Spielman and Mike Zimmer, teammates again. What a world.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

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