It's never been easy for Mike Zimmer.
Labeled a career assistant, Zimmer spent 14 years on the sidelines before he was handed his first head-coaching opportunity with the Minnesota Vikings in 2014. The path hasn't become any smoother since.
Yet, despite season-ending injuries and near constant quarterback turmoil, Zimmer has his Vikings riding a five-game winning streak to a 7-2 mark. They share the second-best record in the league even though Case Keenum has started seven games under center and rookie running back Dalvin Cook was lost for the year after four games.
Zimmer deserves Coach of the Year consideration for the way his team has managed adverse circumstances throughout his entire tenure.
His first year at the helm was hijacked by Adrian Peterson's suspension. After appearing in just the first game of the season, the former MVP running back was suspended for the rest of 2014 for a child-abuse case in which he used abusive discipline on his son. The Vikings finished that year 7-9.
Peterson returned in 2015, and while facing public scrutiny for allowing him back on the field, the Vikings went 11-5 and reached the playoffs.
But in 2016, Teddy Bridgewater shredded his knee in an offseason practice and Peterson was limited to three games due to a torn meniscus.
To save their season, the Vikings scrambled to trade a first-round pick and other compensation to land Sam Bradford from the Philadelphia Eagles. The blockbuster move allowed Minnesota to finish the year 8-8. That record was attained despite Zimmer almost losing his right eye and requiring eight different surgeries to repair a torn retina.
This year, Bradford opened the season with perhaps the best performance of his eight-year career. The quarterback efficiently dissected the New Orleans Saints by going 27-for-32 for 346 yards and three passing touchdowns in a 29-19 victory. And that would be just about the last the Vikings would see of him.
Bradford was sidelined for five of the next six weeks with a knee injury and was finally placed on injured reserve Wednesday.
Cook, meanwhile, was rushing for nearly 5 yards per carry as the Vikings' bell cow before he went down for the year in Week 4 with a torn ACL.
No Bridgewater. No Bradford. No Cook.
The Vikings had plenty of reasons to feel sorry for themselves and go in the tank, but Zimmer wouldn't let them.
Instead, Keenum, the third quarterback up, has done more than manage. He's completed 65 percent of his passes and ranks third in the league in Total QBR, behind only Deshaun Watson and Dak Prescott and ahead of MVP candidates Carson Wentz and Tom Brady.
After 10 weeks, the Vikings rank ninth in total offense, 12th in passing offense, and 10th in rushing offense.
The defense remains one of the league's best. Minnesota sits fifth overall in total defense and 10th in sacks with 25 on the year.
The Vikings began the year with low expectations. Vegas had the team winning 8.5 games and finishing second in the NFC North. Ten weeks in and they've almost reached that total.
Zimmer has entered most weeks not knowing who his quarterback would be Sunday. Bradford is now on IR and Bridgewater is patiently waiting his turn as he sits behind Keenum.
It's not an ideal situation and it's certainly not one that other coaches envy. But it's one Zimmer has learned to adapt to.
"Zimmer is never gonna be an excusemaker. And his attitude trickled down," general manger Rick Spielman said to Michael McKnight of Sports Illustrated in September.
Zimmer recalled how his former boss, Bill Parcells, told him after Bridgewater's injury that "they're not gonna cancel the games. You gotta figure it out."
The Vikings - thanks in large part to the exploits of their head coach - have figured out a way to be at the forefront of the NFC playoff picture.
