Vikings Head Coach Search: 4 Likely Candidates To Replace Zimmer

MINNEAPOLIS — Following the firing of Mike Zimmer Monday morning, the Minnesota Vikings are without a head coach for the first time in eight years.

The club's owners — Mark and Zygi Wilf — also made the decision to move on from general manager Rick Spielman.

"This morning we met with Rick Spielman and Mike Zimmer to notify them we will be moving in a different direction at the general manager and head coach positions in 2022," the Wilf brothers said in a joint statement.

"We appreciate Rick and Mike's commitment to the team's on-field success, their passion for making a positive impact in our community and their dedication to players, coaches and staff. While these decisions are not easy, we believe it is time for new leadership to elevate our team so we can consistently contend for championships. We wish both Rick and Mike and their families only the best. Our comprehensive search for a new general manager and head coach will begin immediately and will be led internally. We are determined to have sustained success and bring Vikings fans the Super Bowl championships they expect and deserve."

It's highly unlikely that the Wilfs will hire a new head coach before hiring a new general manager. In almost all cases in the NFL, the team's general manager is given a say in new coach hiring.

Also read: Coach Mike Zimmer, GM Rick Spielman Fired From MN Vikings

However, with Zimmer's departure made official, the rumor mill has already begun.

Here are four likely candidates to be the next head coach of the Minnesota Vikings:

• Josh McDaniels, New England Patriots offensive coordinator
• Kellen Moore, Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator
• Eric Bieniemy, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator
• Doug Pederson, former Philadephia Eagles head coach

All four candidates specialize in offense, which is typical for most coaching hires in the modern NFL. And three out of the four — excluding Kellen Moore — have won recent Super Bowls with their respective teams.

The Vikings will have plenty of competition in their coaching search, including from one of their own NFC North rivals. The Chicago Bears fired their head coach, Matt Naggy, and Ryan Pace, their general manager on Monday.