In the buildup to Week 1 of the NFL season, the fiery former Vikings head coach turned Cowboys defensive coordinator, Mike Zimmer, did not hold back when expressing his grievances to Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Zimmer made a wise decision to stay mum on former Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, saving those thoughts for when the Cowboys would face Cousins and the Vikings in Week 9.
However, Zimmer showed no such restraint when it came to criticizing the opposing quarterback for Sunday night’s game. Venting about former Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman’s desire to draft a quarterback in 2021, Zimmer revealed that Spielman had considered trading up for Justin Fields. Boldly stating that Fields “hasn’t done anything,” Zimmer made it clear that he was not impressed with the rookie quarterback.
At the time of Zimmer’s comments, Russell Wilson was leading the Steelers as their starting quarterback and appeared to be healthy. But fate had other plans, as Wilson ended up aggravating his calf injury shortly after Zimmer’s interview, paving the way for Fields to take over under center.
Since Fields has taken the reins, the Steelers have managed to win three out of their last four games, a record that makes it hard to argue that Fields “hasn’t done anything.” In a league where players and coaches alike are constantly on the lookout for real or perceived slights, Fields will undoubtedly be motivated to prove Zimmer wrong during their upcoming showdown. The rookie QB will have a point to prove against the man who publicly doubted his abilities, and he will be looking to make a statement on the field tonight.