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Kellen Mond’s father explains why the QB was in Mike Zimmer’s doghouse with the Minnesota Vikings
By Keith Farner
Published:
Kellen Mond’s NFL career got off to a tough start for multiple reasons in Minnesota, and now his father is explaining some of the behind-the-scenes developments.
Mond’s father, Kevin, shared his thoughts with Chris Tomasson, who covers the Minnesota Vikings for the St. Paul Pioneer Press. The problem was former coach Mike Zimmer didn’t want to draft Mond, or a quarterback in general, and then COVID-19 caused a second problem.
Ultimately, Mond was caught in the middle of a disagreement between Zimmer and general manager Rick Spielman, and both were eventually fired in January.
Kellen Mond dad Kevin: “Kellen was in (Zimmer’s) doghouse from the start because of the draft & then No. 2 the COVID.. He wasn’t going to give him the time & Zimmer not playing him at the end of the year (last game) was personally to me Zimmer just sticking his thumb at Spielman”
— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) May 27, 2022
Kellen Mond dad Kevin said Zimmer didn’t want Spielman to draft Mond “I think he wanted a defensive player (at that spot) .. Zimmer wasn’t mad at the person he was mad at the selection of the QB.. So whoever was going to get his venom thrown at him, it just happened to be Kellen”
— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) May 27, 2022
Zimmer in January had snarky comments about Mond, which he later clarified about giving Mond playing time in the season finale.
“I just meant [Mond] is the third-team quarterback,” Zimmer said, via Vikings Wire. “I mean, 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. So I kind of knew that. …You guys ask me those questions 10 minutes after the game, too. So that’s part of it as well.”
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
