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Kellen Mond Throws the Vikings Under the Bus
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- Kellen Mond Throws the Vikings Under the Bus
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Remember Kellen Mond ? Well, he remembers every aspect of the Minnesota Vikings . Mond has squawked about the team before, claiming that the leadership, since terminated in 2021, treated him like dirt.
Mond's comments reignited old Zimmer-era tension, dragging Minnesota's past power structure right back into the news cycle.
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Vikings fans are not strangers to post-Mike Zimmer era horror stories, and Mond was sure to deliver a reminder last week.
Mond's Comments Reignite the Zimmer-Era Debate
Mond lashes out over leadership on LinkedIn.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kellen Mond tucks the ball and looks for running room against Las Vegas during preseason action, shown Aug 14, 2022, at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise. The young passer used his legs to extend the play in the second half as Minnesota evaluated depth options and game speed against Raiders defenders in live preseason action. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Accusations
Mond is now an artist and photographer, and he used LinkedIn to light up the Vikings last week. He wrote : "When I was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings, my head coach walked out of the draft room. We never spoke. Not once. It all started years before between the General Manager and him."
"The GM wanted Kirk Cousins at quarterback. The head coach didn't. Kirk signed anyway, and the relationship went sour. When the GM and Offensive Coordinator wanted to draft me, the head coach was against it … again. I got the call. He walked out. While I played for the Vikings, I never saw the General Manager and Head Coach speak."
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That was just the beginning.
Mond continued, "Imagine the two most important people in any organization never talking. What happens to that business? It crumbles. And that's exactly what happened. The morning after our last game, we were told both the GM and head coach were fired. They cleaned house. The GM addressed the team and thanked us for our hard work, effort and dedication."
"The head coach was nowhere to be found. His reasoning for not addressing the team and players: 'They got me fired.' That response told me everything I needed to know. And taught me an unforgettable leadership lesson: Every time you show up to work, you control the energy in the building."
Mond played for the UFL's San Antonio Brahmas in 2025.
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He concluded, "The way you act. The way you speak. Your body language. If you forget that enough times, don't be surprised when you have a disconnect with others in your organization. Leadership is an atmosphere you create, not a title you hold."
Most Thought This Was Settled Law
Mond has referenced this same string of events before, and the friction between Rick Spielman and Mike Zimmer down the stretch of their run is well-documented. In fact, in the summer of 2024, Zimmer gave a tell-all interview to the Star Tribune , where he confessed all, even mentioning that he refused to address his team after he was fired. Grudges galore.
Zimmer also infamously put together a PowerPoint presentation as Minnesota's coach, showing his players all the bad things that had happened to him as the Vikings' skipper.
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In short, nothing Mond wrote on LinkedIn was new news.
Mond Never Worked Out Anywhere Else Sadly
Sadly for Mond's sake, no matter how Minnesota's leaders treated him, his football career has flopped. After Kevin O'Connell cut him in 2022, Mond tried his hand with the Cleveland Browns , Indianapolis Colts , and New Orleans Saints . He could not latch on for the long haul, and in fact, played miserably whenever given a chance in the preseason.
Mond also struggled in the UFL last year, which is close to the end of the line for one's quasi-professional football career.
Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer talks with general manager Rick Spielman on the sideline before kickoff, pictured Oct 18, 2015, at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The pregame exchange captured the leadership duo during an early-season matchup, reflecting the organizational structure that shaped Minnesota's roster and identity during that era. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images
While Zimmer may have wronged Mond, Zimmer was absolutely correct about his upside — or lack thereof — as a quarterback. Zimmer's agenda to keep Mond on the bench was the best thing for the Vikings, and he was probably right that Spielman should not have wasted a 3rd-Round pick on Mond in 2021.
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Zimmer and Spielman Not Beating the Allegations
Near the end of the Spielman + Zimmer era, fans knew something was off. The team didn't have the camaraderie it once displayed from 2014 to 2019.
Right tackle Brian O'Neill once said that he'd see leaders in Eagan and no one would say hello to each other in the hallways. Linebacker Eric Kendricks said four years ago : "I think just having that voice, no matter how big your role is, is important, to listen up and take each other's feelings into account. I don't think a fear-based organization is the way to go."
Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer observes warmups ahead of a road matchup, photographed Dec 15, 2019, at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson. The scene shows Zimmer focused during pregame routines as Minnesota prepared to face the Chargers, underscoring the measured, detail-oriented approach that defined his tenure on the sideline. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
Zimmer said in 2024: "I can tell you I've not watched one Minnesota game since."
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He also said about his relationship with Spielman, "I didn't even talk to him on the phone. Rick said, 'You mad at me?' I said, 'Yeah, I think you took four backups when we had guys there I thought were starters.' From that time on, it just kind of got worse between us. And I'm not saying nothing was my fault. I'm sure there were plenty of things that were my fault."
Indeed, it all went really bad for the Vikings in 2021.
