Although Mike Zimmer later clarified his comments, Vikings quarterback Kellen Mond didn’t seem to appreciate his coach’s disinterest in seeing him play.
With Kirk Cousins out with COVID for their Week 17 loss to the Packers, the Vikings had an opportunity to see more from rookie quarterback Kellen Mond.
The Vikings world saw little of Mond, as he only completed two out of three passes for five yards on Sunday. In the postgame press conference, Zimmer was asked if he’d like to see more of Mond in Week 18.
“Not particularly,” he replied. Even worse, he then said the reason was that he sees the rookie every day in practice.
While Mond never said anything regarding his coach’s comments, he did support what one NFL journalist had to say about Zimmer’s flat response.
Mond liked a tweet from Bleacher Report’s Ian Kenyon in which he referred to Zimmer’s comments as “the coldest thing I’ve ever heard from a coach.”
Oh wonderful… pic.twitter.com/XH7UtrXlib
— Adam Patrick (@Str8_Cash_Homey) January 3, 2022
This is the coldest thing I’ve ever heard from a coach. My goodness. pic.twitter.com/0FaufxxoQw
— Ian Kenyon (@iankenyonnfl) January 3, 2022
Kellen Mond doesn’t seem to like what Mike Zimmer had to say about him
While Mond didn’t say anything himself, he seems to agree with the sentiment that Zimmer’s words were rather cold as he tempered any enthusiasm about seeing the rookie in Week 18.
Zimmer’s response may not have been particularly warm, but he did clarify that he hasn’t cooled on his overall feelings toward his rookie quarterback.
Zimmer on his comments about Kellen Mond last night when I asked whether he wanted to see the rookie in Wk 18: "I just mean he's the third team quarterback. He's improved. He's improved throughout the year. He's got a chance to be a good player. But he's third on the depth chart"
— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) January 3, 2022
Unlike many other NFL teams pressured to start their rookie quarterbacks this season, the Vikings have the luxury of letting Mond develop. That Mond didn’t stun in an unexpected NFL debut isn’t necessarily surprising, as he only completed 28 out of 51 passes for 310 yards and an interception during the preseason.
According to Jeremy Fowler, the thought in the Vikings camp all along was to let Mond develop, especially since other young quarterbacks like Jordan Love have struggled in big games.
The Vikings internally discussed playing rookie Kellen Mond tonight but opted for experience (Mannion started with Vikings in 2019) and following the plan from when team drafted Mond: Let him develop. Team keenly aware of how badly even top picks have struggled at QB this year.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) January 3, 2022
So even if this all does feel dramatic, it might simply be part of the plan.