'Just tragic': Minnesota Vikings react to Adam Zimmer's death

Vikings react to death of former coach Adam Zimmer

Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins and coach Kevin O'Connell reacted Wednesday to the death of former coach Adam Zimmer. He was just 38 years old.

MINNEAPOLIS - The Minnesota Vikings have started preparations to take a 6-1 record and five-game win streak to face the Washington Commanders on Sunday, but they took time on Wednesday to reflect on the death of Adam Zimmer.

The son of former Vikings coach Mike Zimmer, Adam died on Sunday at the age of 38. Mendota Heights police responded to a welfare check Monday afternoon on the 2500 block of Condon Court, where they found an adult male dead. Adam’s sister, Corri (Zimmer) White, confirmed his death in a social media post.

Adam and much of the old coaching staff left Minnesota after the 2021 season after Mike Zimmer’s dismissal. Adam had kept his Twin Cities home, and was working remotely as an offensive analyst for the Cincinnati Bengals.

Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins started his weekly news conference at TCO Performance Center on Wednesday offering condolences to the Zimmer family. Cousins said in a social media post on Tuesday he would often sit next to Adam Zimmer on the plane home from road games.

"Just want to send my condolences to the Zimmer family. It was tragic news of Adam’s passing. Adam was a tremendous person, tremendous football coach. Everybody here loved working with him, spoke so highly of him. Just tragic, tough to deal with," Cousins said. "Just praying for the family and thinking of them."

Kevin O’Connell and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah offered their thoughts and prayers as well.

"It’s been a tough couple days from the standpoint of the Zimmer family, and just on behalf of the organization, we really just want to take a second and offer our condolences to the family," O’Connell said. "I know there’s so many folks in our building that had a relationship with Adam and how respected and well-liked he was in our building. It’s been a tough couple days, we just want to offer our condolences to the family and just let them know they’re on our hearts and minds."

"We’re all heartfelt, just trying to be respectful of the process and the Zimmer family," Adofo-Mensah said.

Adam Zimmer was a linebackers coach with the Vikings from 2014-19, then spent two years as a co-defensive coordinator alongside Andre Patterson.

Authorities have not yet released a cause of death.