Former Vikings quarterback Kellen Mond spoke about his rookie season and revealed major dysfunction
When a College Football prospect receives a call from an NFL franchise informing them they are about to fulfill their lifelong dream of playing in the NFL, it is supposed to be the best moment of their life. Kellen Mond received that call during the draft, but had no idea what was waiting for him in Minnesota. The former Vikings quarterback spoke candidly about his rookie season and the disconnect between Head Coach Mike Zimmer and Minnesota's general manager.
Mond posted a lengthy explanation on his LinkedIn page.
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.
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.
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.
Zimmer's comments when asked whether Mond would play so he could "take a look at him" make even more sense given the context provided by Mond.
Mond's overall message is about business and leadership. It is shocking to read the recounting of his rookie season, and not be astounded at the franchise dysfunction. The good news is that the organization bounced back and is in good shape now, but one wonders what would have happened to Mond's career in the proper hands.