Vikes ‘toxic leadership’ ?

[Lee Borgersen]

Rhett Ellison’s father says free agents leaving Vikings because of ‘toxic leadership’

Mar 13, 2017 at 3:45 p.m.

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Minnesota Vikings tight end Rhett Ellison (85) runs off the field after practice at mini camp. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports Rhett Ellison’s father tweeted Saturday night that the Vikings have “toxic leadership” and said Sunday that free agents are leaving because they have a better chance of winning elsewhere.

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Riki Ellison was an NFL linebacker from 1983-92 and won three Super Bowls with San Francisco. He said his son, a tight end who spent the past five years for Minnesota, signed last week with the New York Giants because he “of course” believes he has a better opportunity to win.
Ellison’s father also put up Saturday night a Facebook post in which he claimed a “mentality of physical practices” in Minnesota contributed to “hurt players on the offensive line and burn out the desire of the defense to play hard.”

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Riki Ellison had tweeted Saturday night, “Exodus of their draft picks out of the Minnesota Vikings in free agency — with a new stadium, new facility — statement on toxic leadership.’’ The tweet was deleted Sunday night.

Reached by phone Sunday before the tweet was deleted, Ellison declined to say about whom he was referring. However, he said it’s noticeable how many free agents have departed since Thursday’s start of free agency.

In addition to Ellison leaving, tackle Matt Kalil, cornerback Captain Munnerlyn and wide receiver Charles Johnson signed with Charlotte, punter Jeff Locke with Indianapolis and linebacker Audie Cole with Jacksonville. The Vikings, who have yet to re-sign any of their own free agents, had decided not to offer Johnson a tender as a restricted free agent before he joined the Panthers. confused-3316.gif

“Do (free agents) think this program is going in the right direction and a Super Bowl contender or are they in a position to be another start-up, starting up from scratch?’’ said Riki Ellison, chairman and founder of the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance outside Washington. “That’s why you see your veterans are leaving because they have to look at the future. They should be able to retain anybody they want. tut_tut-3315.gif

“There is something going on, from my perspective. Why would people be leaving a brand-new facility (U.S. Bank Stadium)? They got the best facility in the world. … That’s just not a normal thing to happen.’’

Kalil and Munnerlyn did have familiarity reasons to join the Panthers. Kalil’s brother, Ryan Kalil, is a Carolina center, and Munnerlyn had played for the team from 2009-13.

Riki Ellison called the 1,475-word statement he put up on Facebook generally “positive” about his son’s Minnesota tenure. In a statement entitled “Sweet Purple Memories,’’ he wrote his son’s time with the Vikings was “magical’’ and “memorable’’ and that they have “great owners.” However, he did express frustration about the Vikings beginning 5-0 last season before losing eight of their final 11 games to finish 8-8.

The Vikings never looked the same after they went into a bye week following the 5-0 start. Offensive coordinator Norv Turner resigned when they were 5-2 and was replaced by Pat Shurmur.

Riki Ellison played at USC from 1979-82, when Turner was an assistant coach there.

“That bye week was tipping point,’’ Riki Ellison wrote. “The head coach (Mike Zimmer) and (general manager Rick Spielman) didn’t understand what they had and broke it, (leading to) the departure of Norv Turner, which was the red-flag indicator and the franchise has yet to recover, and the damage (is) still taking its toll. … There is no core offensive line, no leadership on the offense from the front seven, no running back, no No. 1 receiver and a tremendous void of lack of self-drafted developed players that were part of the best run in five years to set and lead the culture.

“Added to this was mentality of physical practices that continued to hurt players on the offensive line and burn out the desire of the defense to play hard when it counted most.’’

Minnesota has addressed the offensive line in free agency, signing tackles Ricky Reiff and Mike Remmers to big deals. Asked Sunday about the many injuries the Vikings had, Riki Ellison said, “Why is everybody still getting hurt? Why are there so many injuries? That’s just not a normal thing to happen.’’

Riki Ellison also elaborated on the Vikings never recovering from the bye week.

“Why would one of the best offensive coordinators walk out (after) they’re 5-0, and the best team in the NFL?’’ he said. “Something happened in that (bye) week.’’

Riki Ellison called it a “stupid decision” that the Vikings played tackle Jake Long Oct. 23 at Philadelphia, 12 days following his signing and after he had not played all season and was coming off several injury-riddled seasons. Long allowed two strip sacks for lost fumbles in a 21-10 loss that dropped Minnesota to 5-1.

Riki Ellison has turned some heads on Facebook before. He wrote a post last March saying his son would not re-sign with the Vikings, but soon took it down, and then the tight end signed a one-year deal with them.

[LPS]

Very interersting.  I wondered too if something was going on in management. 

[Jerkbiat]

I guess only time will tell. I personally think Zim is a good coach, but we don't see all that goes on.

[glenn57]

like JB  said we dont see what goes on behind closed doors....... i think alot of it spoiled rotten big baby pro athletes that have been handed everything myself.

[Lee Borgersen]

like JB  said we dont see what goes on behind closed doors....... i think alot of it spoiled rotten big baby pro athletes that have been handed everything myself.

Speaking of "spoiled rotten big baby pro athletes" Has anyone heard anything about Colin Kaepernick going to da Vikes :

[glenn57]

like JB  said we dont see what goes on behind closed doors....... i think alot of it spoiled rotten big baby pro athletes that have been handed everything myself.

Speaking of "spoiled rotten big baby pro athletes" Has anyone heard anything about Colin Kaepernick going to da Vikes :

yea if that happens i might be a bears fan!!!!!!!!!!!!

you pot stirer!!!!!!!!!!!

[Gunner55]

kinda like lookin in a mirror, eh? tut_tut-3315.gif sleazy-422.gif

[IA_Guy]

I think Zim is one hell of a guy character wise, but I gotta question sometimes if he isn't a tad over his head in a head coaching role. Hopefully he will grow into it more and more but administratively, he leaves me scratching my head a little bit.

Spielman fancies himself a real "playmaker", and his gambling so to speak concerns me from time to time. He kept assuring everyone over the Bradford deal saying we didn't "mortgage our future", but we absolutely did. Nothing like ending up going 8-8, having no 1st or 4th round draft picks. Spielman was counting on us going 12-4 and at least 2 deep in the playoffs to keep the haters from whining about our lack of draft picks.

More to the point of this thread though- consider the source. I remember the elder Ellison's rampage when it looked like Rhett wouldn't get resigned before. Some dads have a real odd perception of their sons, almost like a Hercules complex, that their seed and spawn can do no wrong and is simply the best, regardless of actual talent. He comes off as impulsive and as a hot head (scary, as he works in missile defense ), evidenced by his pot stirring statements, often followed quickly by deletion.

I think Zim is too complacent in letting it be 100% Spielman's team, he's (rightly) cautious about the talent acquisition aspects of the team as he's not as experienced, always being a former assistant or D-coordinator. When we first announced Zimmer as a HC, I was a little spooked just because he had never held a head coaching job and this is exactly why. A stand up guy no doubt, I'd buy him a beer should he happen upon my regular bar, and if I had kids I'd def put him as a role model. Fair, tough, classy guy, loyal perhaps to a fault, passionate and humble. But when it comes to pulling the strings to a professional organization, there's a lot more to it than being a good guy.

Something DID happen between Turner, Zim and Spielman. I couldn't put my finger on it completely, and I have my theories, but a known figure around the league (Turner) just doesn't walk away from a 5-2 season, no matter how crappy you look in the 2 losses. Obviously a clashing of philosophies, mantras, cultures, whatever you want to say. The lack of transparency is bugging me a lot about the vikes lately. I would bet my entire bank account plus retirement, investments, the whole bit...that Bridgewater's injury is more than what we were told. It wasn't no contact. The only way you could bust a knee up that bad non contact is if you were 400 lbs and landed wrong. I say some O-lineman rolled up on him and his name got kept silent cuz he felt bad enough already. Or perhaps a LB or blitzing safety at practice forgot it was non contact and had a brain fart on the red qb jersey. There is simply no way a 23 yr old kid who weighs mayb 215 lbs produces the force and mass required to blow up a leg in that fashion.

[glenn57]

kinda like lookin in a mirror, eh? tut_tut-3315.gif sleazy-422.gif

huh!! not me!!

[LPS]

I think this year will tell the story on Zim and Spielman.  Zim asked the players to talk to him awhile back so hopefully that helped some things. 

[Auggie]

This coming from a non Viking fan with zero bias IA guy.... Not saying you do, but If you think teddy was the answer  at quarterback for this team I think you are dreaming. A franchise type guy is hard to come by, he isn't it......a healthy Bradford will give the Queenies a better shot at winning than teddy ever will..
But when you are laying on your back all the time, it's hard for any quarterback to show what he is worth!!!! Mn needed to do much more in the off season than they did for the o-line. Good luck purple fans!!

[Boar]

i have a tendency to agree on the bradfor teddy thing. ted needs some molding, bradford just needs protection.

[Jerkbiat]

What Boar said!

[Reinhard]

I'm fully behind Zimmer.  Lot of the free agents left because they knew they may not make the team or get traded in my opinion, and of course more money.  The players all said they loved the coach and wanted to play for him.  Some may of just said that for good politics but most meant it I believe.  Pro sports is a rough buisness.  Both on the field and contract time, free agency, trades, money.  This whole thing is sour grapes.  There are a lot of players leaving teams, lot's.  Lot's of reasons to go, but most are not about sour grapes and wining.  good luck.

[LPS]

Good point RH...

[IA_Guy]

This coming from a non Viking fan with zero bias IA guy.... Not saying you do, but If you think teddy was the answer  at quarterback for this team I think you are dreaming. A franchise type guy is hard to come by, he isn't it......a healthy Bradford will give the Queenies a better shot at winning than teddy ever will..
But when you are laying on your back all the time, it's hard for any quarterback to show what he is worth!!!! Mn needed to do much more in the off season than they did for the o-line. Good luck purple fans!!

Given the nature of his injury, the logical part of me tends to think what he "would've" been is now moot... and honestly if there was ever a big ticket item on the "Pros" list for Bridgewater, it's what he would've/could've been. At the 32nd pick he wasn't drafted for his raw talent. He was drafted to grow up in the franchise as a "developmental" player to supplement an offense largely built on Peterson.  There are TONS of age related/rookie honors for Bridgewater, and 2 of his best games came against 2 of the toughest defenses at the time (even though we lost both games), Denver and Arizona.

Also let's not forget Brady was a 4th stringer (yes NE carried 4 QBs for a while the first year they had Brady) and no one even knew who Aaron Rodgers was until he spent a couple seasons riding the pine. For a kid who was thrust into a starting role when Matt Cassell got hurt, he's done well. I heard Zim defend him once to the media, because due to (IMHO) Fantasy Football, people tend to equate huge numbers and big plays with talent. Yes they go hand in hand but they don't always correlate. What I'm getting at is everyone was all hyped on Derek Carr and Blake Bortles when they were slinging 350 yards and 3+TDs a game. But like Zim said, Teddy puts the Vikes in situations where they can win. Nothing pretty, nothing flashy, but where were Bortles and Carr that year in the post-season? Yeah you can certainly point out both those teams didn't have nearly the defense we did but both also had WAY  better go to WRs in Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree, and Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns respectively...

So I guess I'm not firmly in one camp or the other. If Bradford does well, I have no objections to him being the guy in the future. If he goes another 8-8 (or worse), and Teddy is medically able to give it another go, I say give him a shot. Teddy was at least in the conversation of developing into a solid QB, at the time we picked up Bradford he was a borderline washup, although to be fair he got a lot of bad shakes due to injury and trade. Messy situation no doubt but either Teddy or Bradford is 1000x better than Christian Ponder, Donovan McNabb (as a Viking), Matt Cassel, Gus Frerrote, Tavaris Jackson...ugh why do I even like this team... confused-3316.gif

[Boar]

yeah were thrying to figure that out to. lmao!

[hawg]

I'm with Reihard on this one. Most of those guys had a reason to leave and the salary/value equation was at the core. Some were nice guys but aging, some were overpaid and never performed up to the salary levels. We made a lot of very poor desperate signings in the last few years. There maybe some management problems but that article is sour grapes coming from an egotistical cry baby that should have been gone anyway..